WHO Says Hantavirus Is Not Like Covid
The World Health Organization has said the current hantavirus outbreak should not be compared with Covid-19 or influenza, stressing that the virus spreads very differently. The clarification comes after concerns rose over a recent outbreak linked to a cruise ship, where the Andes strain of hantavirus was reported.
WHO Clarifies Hantavirus Transmission Risk
WHO officials said hantavirus does not spread like Covid-19 or influenza. Unlike airborne respiratory viruses that can infect large groups quickly, hantavirus transmission usually occurs from rodents to humans through exposure to contaminated urine, droppings or saliva.
Andes Hantavirus Can Spread Between Humans
The recent outbreak involved the Andes strain, which is the only hantavirus strain known to spread between humans. However, health officials said such transmission generally requires prolonged and close contact, especially with a symptomatic person.
Cruise Ship Outbreak Under Monitoring
WHO said there were currently no symptomatic passengers or crew onboard. Officials compared the situation with a past outbreak in Argentina, where close social contact with an infected person led to a cluster of cases. The current outbreak is being treated as a confined cluster rather than the start of a wider epidemic.
WHO Says Public Health Measures Can Control Spread
Health officials said contact tracing, isolation and monitoring can break the chain of transmission. WHO also made it clear that the outbreak does not indicate the beginning of a Covid-like pandemic and should be managed with targeted public health measures.
