WHO issues a warning about hantavirus in the Netherlands
The hantavirus continues to spread worldwide, and a new case has already been confirmed in the Netherlands among crew members of a cruise ship at the center of the outbreak. The WHO is urging countries to step up surveillance and monitoring, as the virus has already caused deaths and hundreds of close contacts are being monitored in various countries. This is reported by Al Jazeera.
The situation surrounding the hantavirus remains tense, as new cases continue to be reported in various countries following the outbreak on the cruise ship MV Hondius, and the virus has now even reached the Netherlands, where a crew member has been infected.
This is reported by international media citing WHO statements, and the organization’s Director-General, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, emphasized in Geneva that governments must immediately strengthen monitoring of passengers and contacts linked to the outbreak.
This refers to people who were on board the cruise ship, which became the epicenter of the infection’s spread, resulting in more than 600 contacts now being monitored worldwide. “Passengers must move cautiously for the remainder of the quarantine period,” said Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, emphasizing the need to adhere to strict restrictions.
According to official WHO data, the number of confirmed cases has risen to 12, with three deaths already recorded, although no new deaths have been reported in recent weeks.
The latest infected person in the Netherlands is in isolation under medical supervision and has been confirmed to have the And virus strain, which was detected during quarantine after returning from a cruise.
Despite this, the Netherlands National Institute for Public Health (RIVM) states that the risks to the public remain minimal and urges people not to panic. “The likelihood of further spread in the Netherlands remains very low,” according to an official statement from the institute, which continues to monitor all evacuated passengers on a weekly basis.
Experts are also conducting repeat laboratory tests at two independent centers and maintaining self-isolation protocols for all suspected cases to prevent a new wave of infection.
The WHO director-general noted that hantavirus is not the new COVID
Hantavirus outbreak: experts assess the risks of a global pandemic.
We also reported: Among the crew members of the MV Hondius, where a hantavirus outbreak was recorded, are five Ukrainian citizens. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs reported that no signs of a deterioration in their health have been detected so far.
The disease on board the MV Hondius, owned by the Dutch company Oceanwide Expeditions, which has claimed the lives of three passengers, may have been introduced by Argentine rats or mice.
