Particle.news
Download on the App Store

MV Hondius Hantavirus Cluster Hits 11 Cases as WHO and ECDC Say Risk Is Low

The cluster involves the Andes strain, a rodent-borne virus with rare person-to-person spread.

Overview

  • WHO’s report Wednesday put the tally at 11 cases tied to the cruise ship MV Hondius, including eight confirmed, two probable and one under review, with three deaths.
  • ECDC experts said current data show no mutation making the virus more transmissible and that the pathogen is behaving as expected for Andes hantavirus.
  • Italy reported all suspected cases have tested negative at the Spallanzani and Sacco reference labs, while France hospitalized and is closely monitoring 22 identified contacts.
  • French authorities ended the quarantine on the cruise ship Ambition in Bordeaux Thursday after tests pointed to a routine gastroenteritis unrelated to hantavirus.
  • Because incubation can run about six weeks, health services continue contact tracing, isolation and repeat testing into early June to catch any late-onset cases.