WHO Says Cruise Ship Hantavirus Cases Likely Originated Offboard

(MENAFN) According to reports, the World Health Organization has stated that a cluster of hantavirus cases linked to a cruise ship near Cabo Verde most likely began with infections acquired before boarding, and that the overall public health risk is considered low.

As stated by reports, WHO officials indicated that the initial infected individuals are believed to have contracted the virus outside the vessel, based on incubation timelines and epidemiological assessment. Authorities are still investigating whether limited transmission occurred among close contacts onboard.

The outbreak involves a small number of confirmed and suspected cases among passengers and crew, with several individuals reportedly requiring medical care. Some patients have been hospitalized, while others remain under observation or are being prepared for medical evacuation to treatment facilities abroad.

Health officials emphasized that passengers have been instructed to remain in their cabins as precautionary measures while sanitation and containment procedures are carried out onboard. No new symptomatic cases have been reported at this stage.

Hantaviruses are typically associated with rodent exposure, and human-to-human transmission is considered rare. As stated by reports, investigations have not found evidence of rodent presence on the ship, though prior stops along coastal regions are being examined as potential exposure points.

WHO representatives stressed that sequencing and further laboratory analysis are underway to identify the exact strain involved, while reiterating that the situation remains under control and the overall risk to the public is low.

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