The hantavirus outbreak that made headlines in global media last month is officially set to end on July 2, the World Health Organization said, reports UNN citing Euronews.
Details
Speaking at a press conference in Geneva on Wednesday, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the number of confirmed hantavirus infection cases remains 13, including three fatalities.
Since the outbreak was reported to WHO on May 2, more than 650 contacts have been identified in 33 countries and territories.
"All but 54 contacts have already completed their quarantine period, and those remaining should complete it by July 2," Ghebreyesus said.
If no new cases are detected by that deadline, WHO will declare the outbreak over, he added.
The hantavirus outbreak sparked international concern after a group of passengers on a cruise ship under the Dutch flag reported severe respiratory illnesses.
The vessel MV Hondius departed from Ushuaia in Argentina on April 1 and visited several locations in the South Atlantic, including South Georgia, Tristan da Cunha, Saint Helena, and Ascension Island.
One passenger fell ill and died on April 11. His body was removed from the ship on Saint Helena, where some passengers disembarked. One female passenger who disembarked on Saint Helena died on April 26 after arriving in South Africa. Another female passenger died on May 2.
The remaining passengers were later evacuated to Tenerife.
WHO says it will continue to work with local authorities to investigate the causes and transmission routes of the outbreak.
"We are also working to ensure that a virus sample is transferred to the WHO BioHub biobank in Switzerland," Ghebreyesus said. "This will be important for developing diagnostics, therapeutics, and vaccines in case of future outbreaks."
Hantaviruses are a group of viruses carried by rodents. They are usually transmitted to humans through contact with infected rodents or their urine, droppings, or saliva. These viruses can cause severe and sometimes fatal diseases.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported that all U.S. citizens who may have been exposed to the virus during the trip on the MV Hondius completed their 42-day monitoring period on June 21.
"As a result of this outbreak, no cases of hantavirus disease have been reported in the United States," the CDC said.
US completes quarantine of cruise ship passengers after hantavirus outbreak23.06.26, 04:16