WHO insist hantavirus outbreak will not become pandemic but infection fears grow as hunt is on for passengers who left cruise - live updates
The World Health Organization has insisted the hantavirus outbreak on board the MV Hondius cruise ship will not become a pandemic but admit more people could be infected amid fears the disease has spread across the world.Health chiefs today confirmed five cases of the virus so far but reiterate the threat to the wider public remains low.'So far, eight cases have been reported, including three deaths. Five of the eight cases have been confirmed as hantavirus and the other three are suspected,' WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told journalists in Geneva.'The species of hantavirus involved in this case is the Andes virus, which is found in Latin America... Given the incubation period of the Andes virus, which can be up to six weeks, it's possible that more cases may be reported,' he added.Meanwhile the WHO confirmed the UK was the first to raise the alarm about the disease which has spread across the world following a 'cluster of passengers with severe respiratory illness'.Watch: How the cruise ship hantavirus became a global health scareThe WHO is working with countries who have citizens onboard diseased ship for their 'onward passage home' - admitting it must be 'very carefully done'We are working with all of the countries who have nationalities that are on board to discuss the plans for the safe journey of those patients home, once they disembark, once they’re medically evaluated, what those decisions will be.It needs to be very carefully done, but we are working with the countries about that onward passage home.Cruise passengers will be 'completely isolated' from publicMechanisms are being put together, but they will be completely isolated from the public. They will be taken to an isolated fenced off place, they will be in isolated vehicles, they will reach an area of the airport that will be completely isolated.There is no possibility of contact.Spain say risk of cruise ship to public health is 'very low'Then we are in touch with doctors on board so we get a daily update on everything that's happening on the boat. Once we know what's going on, if there are no new cases, we can proceed to take people to their place of origin.The risk for the public is a very low risk, it's important to know this.Map: The journey of MV Hondius Watch: Inside the cruise ship at the centre of the hantavirus outbreak Health authorities trying to trace MV Hondius on at least four continentsHunt for British passenger who disembarked in St HelenaTwo of these individuals are now self-isolating in the UK while the others have not yet returned.Four of these individuals remain in St Helena and we are in touch with the relevant health officials to provide advice on contact management.Anger in Tenerife as hantavirus cruise heads to the Canary IslandsWhat we know about hantavirus on the Hondius What is happening on boardHanatavirus does not spread like Covid, doctor says
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WHO insist hantavirus outbreak will not become pandemic but infection fears grow as hunt is on for passengers who left cruise - live updates
