Lyashko commented on the situation with the hantavirus on the cruise ship
Ukrainian Health Minister Viktor Lyashko commented on the situation regarding cases of hantavirus infection among the crew of a cruise ship, which included Ukrainians.
He made this statement during question time with the government in the Verkhovna Rada.
According to Lyashko, Ukraine is a natural hotspot for the circulation of hantaviruses, but the predominant form of the infection in the country is fever with renal syndrome.
“We say that Ukraine is a natural hotspot for the circulation of hantaviruses. However, the predominant form of hantavirus infection here is fever with renal syndrome,” the minister noted.
He emphasized that cases of hantavirus with pulmonary syndrome, which are mentioned in international reports, are not typical for Ukraine.
Lyashko also reported that the Ministry of Health has information regarding the Ukrainian crew members of the cruise ship in accordance with international health regulations, specifically regarding their movements after the voyage’s conclusion.
The cruise ship MV Hondius was forced to stop off the coast of Cape Verde due to an outbreak of hantavirus infection. According to media reports, at least three people have died.
The ship’s voyage began on March 20 in Argentina and was scheduled to end on May 4. There were about 150 people on board.
The first to die was a 70-year-old Dutch citizen; his 69-year-old wife later died in a hospital in Johannesburg. Another fatality is also linked to a Dutch citizen.
It is also reported that 14 Spanish citizens who may have come into contact with infected individuals were ordered to undergo mandatory quarantine by a court ruling.
World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus called on countries worldwide to strengthen their preparedness for a potential increase in hantavirus cases. According to him, it is important to strengthen monitoring and response systems in advance.
Experts from the Ukrainian Center for Public Health reassured the public regarding reports of the detection of the Andes hantavirus aboard the MV Hondius. No cases of infection have been recorded among the ship’s passengers in Ukraine, and the virus itself lacks the conditions to establish itself in our region. The main reason the Andes virus cannot circulate is the absence in Europe of its sole natural host—the South American rice hamster.
