WASHINGTON (TNND) — President Trump said that the recent outbreak of hantavirus on a cruise ship is “very much, we hope, under control.”
“A lot of great people are studying it. It should be fine, we hope,” Trump said on Thursday, The Hill reported.
According to the World Health Organization on Thursday, three people from the MV Hondius cruise ship have died from suspected hantavirus infection, and five out of the eight suspected cases have been confirmed through lab testing.
WHO Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said Thursday that the confirmed cases involve the Andes virus, the only species of hantavirus “known to be capable of limited transmission between humans.”
Hantavirus is typically spread through contact with infected rodents, and common symptoms include fever, headache, muscle aches, abdominal pain, nausea, or vomiting.
While there is currently no vaccine or treatment for hantavirus, early treatment “improves outcomes” for patients, according to the WHO.
The cruise ship started its voyage on April 1 from Ushuaia, Argentina, and its 140 remaining passengers and crew members are currently headed to Spain’s Canary Islands.
The cruise ship company, Oceanwide Expeditions, said Thursday that none of those currently on board the MV Hondius have reported hantavirus symptoms.
The WHO said Wednesday that three people were evacuated from the ship and transported to the Netherlands for medical care. Two of them are in a “stable condition” in a Dutch hospital, and one person is asymptomatic in Germany, Ghebreyesus said. He also noted that two other people are receiving medical treatment in South Africa and Switzerland.
The WHO and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Thursday that the public health risk of hantavirus remains low.
The CDC said Wednesday that it is “closely monitoring the situation.”
“Our top priority remains the health and safety of all U.S. passengers. The Department of State is leading a coordinated, whole-of-government response including direct contact with passengers, diplomatic coordination, and engagement with domestic and international health authorities,” the CDC said.
