Amman, May 4 (Petra) -- The World Health Organization (WHO) announced on Monday that three people have died and three others have been infected in a suspected outbreak of Hantavirus aboard a cruise ship in the Atlantic Ocean.
Dr. Hans Henri P. Kluge, WHO Regional Director for Europe, sought to calm public concerns in a statement, noting that the risk to the general public remains low and there is currently no need for panic or travel restrictions.
The United Nations health agency reported that one patient is currently in intensive care at a hospital in South Africa. The agency added that it is working with local authorities to evacuate two other passengers from the vessel who are exhibiting symptoms of the disease.
Hanta viruses comprise several strains that vary in geographical distribution, clinical symptoms, and fatality rates. According to the Swiss Federal Office of Public Health (BAG), while one specific type of Hanta virus can be transmitted between humans, such cases are considered extremely rare.
The virus is found across all continents and derives its name from the Hantan River, which flows between North and South Korea. The pathogen gained international prominence during the Korean War in the early 1950s, when more than 3,000 soldiers were infected.
//Petra// AF
