Health officials have evacuated three patients infected with hantavirus from a Dutch-flagged cruise ship, while the remaining passengers remain quarantined onboard. Latest reports indicate new infections in several countries.
The World Health Organization (WHO) stated that the three patients were sent back to the Netherlands for treatment, while nearly 150 passengers and crew continue to be quarantined in their cabins on the ship to contain the outbreak.
Meanwhile, Swiss authorities confirmed a new case—a man who traveled back from South America and had been aboard the same ship. Health officials in South Africa and Switzerland reported detecting the Andes strain of hantavirus, found in South America, which can transmit from person to person in some rare cases.
Reports indicate one seriously ill patient is a British man currently receiving intensive care in a South African hospital, while another deceased individual was diagnosed with the virus post-mortem.
The MV Hondius cruise ship departed Argentina on 1 April, originally scheduled to travel through Antarctica, the Falkland Islands, and other destinations in the Atlantic Ocean, but the itinerary changed due to the onboard outbreak.
Recently, the Spanish government confirmed it will allow the ship to dock at the Canary Islands to carry out public health measures and care for passengers, despite some local opposition.
/source:AP
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