By The Opinion
The hantavirus has once again been placed under the crosshairs of the United States health authorities after the recent infections linked to a cruise ship in the Atlantic. Despite this, the Centers for Befriend watch over and Disease Prevention (CDC) reiterated that the risk to the US population remains as “extremely low”.
And the agency reported that active monitoring of the outbreak recorded on the cruise ship continues. M/V Hondiusin addition to coordination with international authorities to follow up on the passengers involved, among whom are Americans.
Outbreak on cruise ship leaves confirmed cases and deaths
The current focus is related to an international outbreak that has left three people dead.
The World Health Organization (WHO) reported a total of eight linked cases: five confirmed and three suspected.
Health authorities have monitored passengers who disembarked from the cruise ship in different countries, including the United States.
What is hantavirus and the situation in the US?
The hantavirus It is a rare group of viruses, but with the potential to cause serious diseases. It is usually transmitted mainly through contact with infected rodents, although some variants can spread between people.
In the United States, the virus gained significant relevance in 1993after a deadly outbreak recorded in the region called the Four Corners that includes between New Mexico, Arizona, Colorado and Utah.
In 1995, hantavirus pulmonary syndrome became a nationally notifiable disease. Subsequently, in 2014, surveillance was expanded to include all laboratory-confirmed infections, both pulmonary and non-pulmonary, and reporting began in 2015.
Until the end of 2023 they had been notified 890 cases of hantavirus disease in the United States since surveillance began in 1993. All of these cases were laboratory confirmed and included hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS) and nonpulmonary hantavirus infection.
Variant involved in the staunch outbreak
In the recent case linked to the cruise ship, authorities have identified the presence of Andes virusa variant that has the peculiarity of being able to be transmitted from person to person.
The investigation suggests that the outbreak began when a Dutch nationality marriage he became infected during wildlife viewing activities off the ship.
President Donald Trump referred to the issue and assured that the situation is being controlled by health teams.
“It seems that everything is fine… it seems that we have things under very good conditions”declared from the White House.
Repatriation of Americans traveling by cruise
He added that the virus is not easily transmitted and that the monitoring of the outbreak is constant.
The State Department also reported that a repatriation flight for US citizenswho were on board the M/V Hondius.
WHO maintains global low risk assessment
The World Health Organization has reiterated that, despite the cases detected, the risk to the traditional population remains low while investigations into the origin and spread of the outbreak continue.
Keep reading:
- “A moral and legal obligation”: why Spain agreed to receive the cruise ship in emergency due to the hantavirus
- California and two other states monitor residents after hantavirus outbreak on cruise ship
- The WHO affirms that the hantavirus outbreak does not mark the beginning of a pandemic after 5 cases were confirmed on the cruise ship heading to Spain
