The World Health Organisation has urged calm following a suspected hantavirus outbreak aboard the MV Hondius cruise ship, which has claimed three lives.
WHO Europe director Hans Kluge confirmed the risk to the wider public remains low, stating there is “no need for panic or travel restrictions,” adding that hantavirus infections were “uncommon and usually linked to exposure to infected rodents.”
Vessel operator Oceanwide Expeditions confirmed two passengers died on board during the ship’s voyage from Ushuaia, Argentina to Cape Verde, with a third dying after disembarking. One passenger remains in intensive care in Johannesburg, while two others require urgent medical attention aboard the ship, currently anchored in Praia, Cape Verde.
With hantavirus confirmed in at least one passenger and three deaths under investigation, is the WHO right to downplay public concern or should stricter travel protocols already be put in place?
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