‘We know this virus’: WHO on comparisons of hantavirus outbreak to COVID-19 pandemic

The World Health Organisation on Thursday dismissed concerns that the hantavirus outbreak could spiral into a global pandemic. Panic set in after at least eight cases of hantavirus were confirmed after an outbreak on a cruise ship in the Atlantic Ocean.

Panic set in after at least eight cases of hantavirus were confirmed after an outbreak on a cruise ship in the Atlantic Ocean. (REUTERS)
Panic set in after at least eight cases of hantavirus were confirmed after an outbreak on a cruise ship in the Atlantic Ocean. (REUTERS)

Addressing a press conference on the outbreak, Dr. Maria Van Kerkhove, a director at the UN health agency, stated that the hantavirus outbreak is not similar to the coronavirus pandemic.

Also Read | ‘Possibility of more cases, but public risk remains low’: WHO on hantavirus outbreak on cruise ship

“This is not COVID. This is a very different virus, and we know this virus. Hantavirus has been around for many years,” she said, adding that the current outbreak remains confined to the cruise ship and its passengers.

WHO experts added that they expected the hantavirus outbreak on a cruise ship in the Atlantic to be “limited”, as long as public health measures and “solidarity” are implemented.

“We believe this will be a limited outbreak if the public health measures are implemented and solidarity shown across all countries,” said emergency alert and response director Abdi Rahman Mahamud during the press conference.

This is a developing story…

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