The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services says one of 17 Americans repatriated from the MV Hondius has tested mildly positive for the Andes strain of hantavirus, while a second passenger has mild symptoms and has not yet been confirmed. Both are being transported in biocontainment units to specialized treatment centers in the United States. The cruise outbreak has left eight people ill, with six confirmed, and multiple deaths reported by WHO, while officials say the risk of spread is low.
Soumya Swaminathan, former WHO chief scientist, says the hantavirus outbreak aboard a cruise ship can be contained. She notes the virus needs prolonged close contact to spread, unlike COVID-19, and has a long incubation period of six to eight weeks. That makes isolating passengers early and testing symptomatic cases a key strategy to halt further transmission.
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