Washington defends its departure from the WHO as tension grows over hantavirus

President Donald Trump defended the decision to withdraw the United States from the World Health Organization (WHO), as the country faces a hantavirus outbreak linked to passengers evacuated from the MV Hondius cruise ship from the Canary Islands, Spain.

During a conference in the Oval Office, Trump assured that he does not regret leaving the international organization, even though US health authorities are keeping several repatriated travelers under observation.

“No, I’m glad,” the president responded when asked if he would reconsider the US departure from the WHO given the current situation.

Trump once again criticized the international organization’s handling of the Covid-19 pandemic and claimed that the United States was allocating nearly $500 million annually to the WHO without receiving fair treatment. He also insisted on his accusations against China and assured, without presenting evidence, that experts from the organization avoided holding Beijing responsible for the origin of the coronavirus.

Meanwhile, the hantavirus outbreak remains under close health surveillance. Federal authorities reiterated that the risk to the American population remains “very low,” despite the fact that one of the evacuated passengers tested positive and another has mild symptoms.

Passengers remain in quarantine in Nebraska

A total of 18 passengers, 17 Americans and a British resident in the United States, were transferred from Tenerife to US territory. in a special operation coordinated by the Centers for Disease Management and Prevention (CDC).

Most remain quarantined at the University of Nebraska Medical Center, one of the few facilities in the country with high-security biocontainment capabilities. Two patients were sent to Atlanta for additional evaluations.

Health officials indicated that the people under observation are stable and without serious symptoms.. Specialized medical teams monitor passengers 24 hours a day.

Hantavirus is a rare disease transmitted primarily through contact with infected rodents. Experts point out that transmission between humans is rare and generally requires close and prolonged contact.

Even so, the federal response has sparked criticism among public health specialists and Democratic leaders, who believe that the Trump administration has not reacted quickly enough..

Experts question federal response capacity

Various specialists expressed concern about the budget cuts and layoffs that have occurred in federal health agencies in recent years. Among them, public health professor Lawrence Gostin of Georgetown University said he had never seen the CDC “so absent” in a situation of this type.

Questions also arose towards the Secretary of Health, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., for the reduction of personnel specialized in infectious diseases and health prevention programs.

Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer accused the White House of weakening public health infrastructure and demanded information on the personnel available to respond to the outbreak.

Schumer maintained that several CDC port health stations are operating understaffed and warned that cuts could affect the country’s ability to deal with future health emergencies.

Despite the criticism, Trump insisted that the situation is “under adjustment” and assured that medical authorities are working prudently to avoid greater risks..

The federal administration maintains constant monitoring of repatriated passengers while investigations continue to determine the scope of the outbreak and rule out new infections within the United States.

Keep reading:

• What are the risks of hantavirus in the US? This is what the CDC says
• Meanwhile the US withdraws from the WHO, California welcomes it
• Goodbye to the WHO: what consequences will it have for US public health?