{"id":11150,"date":"2026-05-08T01:40:00","date_gmt":"2026-05-08T05:40:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.radiorebelde.cu\/english\/?p=11150"},"modified":"2026-05-08T01:43:55","modified_gmt":"2026-05-08T05:43:55","slug":"no-global-pandemic-w-h-o-addresses-hantavirus-cases-on-board-ship","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.radiorebelde.cu\/english\/no-global-pandemic-w-h-o-addresses-hantavirus-cases-on-board-ship-08052026\/","title":{"rendered":"No Global Pandemic: W.H.O. Addresses Hantavirus Cases on Board Ship"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The World Health Organization (W.H.O.<\/a>) declared on May 7, that the hantavirus outbreak detected on the MV Hondius expedition cruise ship lacks global epidemic potential<\/strong>, unlike the COVID-19 emergency.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With five confirmed cases<\/strong> and three deaths<\/strong>, the situation remains contained as the vessel sails towards Tenerife.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

RELATED: <\/strong><\/em>KLM Flight Attendant Hospitalized as Suspected Hantavirus Case<\/em><\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Maria Van Kerkhove, the Organization\u2019s Interim Director of Prevention, clarified that this is a well-known virus, currently confined to a specific space. She reported five confirmed cases and four suspected cases<\/strong> aboard the MV Hondius.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The outbreak has led to three reported deaths among the ship\u2019s passengers: a Dutch couple -the man passing away on April 11 and the woman on April 26- and a German traveler who died on May 2. This situation, while serious for those affected, is distinctly different from a widespread pandemic, stressed Van Kerkhove.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Outbreak Contained<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

W.H.O. Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus further informed that the Dutch couple, who first exhibited symptoms, had visited areas known to harbor the transmitting rat of the Andes virus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This variant is endemic to the Southern Cone region of South America and is the only documented hantavirus strain capable of human-to-human transmission<\/strong>. Ghebreyesus underscored the importance of swift public health measures in containing such localized outbreaks and preventing broader spread.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThis is not the beginning of a pandemic like COVID. This is an outbreak on a ship, in a confined area with five confirmed cases so far. It\u2019s a very different virus; it has been around for a long time, and we know about it\u201d,<\/em> reiterated Van Kerkhove in an earlier statement. This authoritative reassurance aims to prevent undue alarm among the global public and focus resources appropriately.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAs of today, eight cases have been identified, including three fatalities. Five of these eight cases were confirmed as caused by hantavirus\u2026 We believe this will be a limited outbreak if public health measures are implemented, and solidarity is shown among countries<\/em>\u201c, Ghebreyesus elaborated, detailing the epidemiological emergency.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This statement highlights the critical role of international cooperation and coordinated public health responses in managing infectious disease events, regardless of their immediate scale. He also extended gratitude for the scientific collaboration offered by Argentinian authorities in tracking the virus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cGiven their experience and knowledge about the Andes virus, we have also arranged for the shipment of 2,500 diagnostic kits<\/strong> from Argentina to laboratories in five countries. I am confident that the current crisis will make both Argentina and the United States reconsider their withdrawal from the W.H.O.<\/em>\u201d This statement subtly touches on broader geopolitical implications, advocating for continued global health engagement and mutual support in times of health crises.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tracing Contacts<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The highest health authority emphasized that the situation remains under constant vigilance<\/strong> as the Dutch-flagged vessel sails towards the island of Tenerife, having departed from Ushuaia on April 1. The journey allows for continued monitoring and implementation of health protocols aboard the ship, minimizing further risks to passengers and crew.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In parallel, health authorities initiated the tracking of approximately 30 passengers who disembarked the MV Hondius in Saint Helena between April 22 and 24. These individuals are citizens of the United Kingdom, Canada and Singapore, and are expected to be placed under observation upon their return to their respective countries. This proactive measure is crucial for preventing any potential secondary spread beyond the immediate confines of the ship\u2019s journey.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The island of Saint Helena is located in the mid-Atlantic, approximately 1,950 kilometers off the coast of Angola. Local residents who had contact with the disembarked passengers are currently in good health and are receiving medical follow-up. They have been advised to self-isolate at home for 45 days, demonstrating a cautious and thorough approach to public health management in the remote island community.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This robust contact tracing and isolation strategy are critical components in ensuring the hantavirus outbreak remains localized and does not spread to new populations, safeguarding global health security.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

[ SOURCE: teleSUR ]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The World Health Organization (W.H.O.) declared on May 7, that the hantavirus outbreak detected on the MV Hondius expedition cruise ship lacks global epidemic potential, unlike the COVID-19 emergency. With… <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":11151,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"ppma_author":[8],"class_list":["post-11150","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-science"],"authors":[{"term_id":8,"user_id":1,"is_guest":0,"slug":"yolaunicaquehay","display_name":"RRebeldeAdminWP","avatar_url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/e6145d63ff95c9a0f0e53b7149804b1faf86748d6cc15f466103269a288ea377?s=96&d=mm&r=g","0":null,"1":"","2":"","3":"","4":"","5":"","6":"","7":"","8":""}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.radiorebelde.cu\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11150","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.radiorebelde.cu\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.radiorebelde.cu\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.radiorebelde.cu\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.radiorebelde.cu\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=11150"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.radiorebelde.cu\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11150\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":11152,"href":"https:\/\/www.radiorebelde.cu\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11150\/revisions\/11152"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.radiorebelde.cu\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/11151"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.radiorebelde.cu\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=11150"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.radiorebelde.cu\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=11150"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.radiorebelde.cu\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=11150"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.radiorebelde.cu\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/ppma_author?post=11150"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}