The World Health Organization (WHO) has confirmed five of eight suspected hantavirus cases linked to the luxury cruise ship MV Hondius. The U.N. health agency warned on Thursday (7 May) that more infections could emerge because of the virus’s long incubation period.
At a briefing on Thursday, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the organisation was aware of reports involving additional patients, but stressed that the wider public health threat from the outbreak remained low.
Three passengers on the cruise - a Dutch couple and a German national - have already died from suspected hantavirus infection. The Dutch Health Ministry said on Thursday that a Dutch woman had been admitted to hospital in Amsterdam after showing possible symptoms of the virus.
Dutch broadcaster RTL reported that the woman was a stewardess for KLM and had been in contact with a Dutch woman who attempted to board a plane in Johannesburg, South Africa, before later dying.
Separately, three people were evacuated from the ship on Wednesday. One was admitted to hospital in the Netherlands, while another was transferred to Germany for medical treatment.
Countries are scrambling to trace people who left the outbreak-hit ship before it became stranded off the coast of Cape Verde. Authorities in the country refused to allow the vessel to dock, citing public health concerns.
The Dutch government said on Wednesday that around 40 passengers had disembarked on the island of Saint Helena, where the ship stopped en route to Cape Verde before the outbreak was reported.
The whereabouts of many of those passengers remain unknown.
One of those who disembarked was the wife of the Dutchman who died aboard the ship on 11 April. She later fell ill and died before she could return to the Netherlands. KLM said on Wednesday that the woman had been removed from a flight in Johannesburg on 25 April because of her deteriorating condition.
The virus identified in the victims has been confirmed as the Andean strain, which can spread between humans through very close contact.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said on Wednesday that it was closely monitoring the situation involving U.S. travellers aboard the ship, adding that the risk to the American public remained extremely low.
"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 in a statement.
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot said on Thursday that one French citizen had been in contact with a person who had fallen ill, but was not currently showing symptoms.
Small businesses across Russia are increasingly feeling the impact of tighter internet restrictions, including ...
Taiwan’s President Lai Ching-te has reaffirmed the island’s commitment to sovereignty and regional ...
The global housing crisis has reached what UN officials describe as “staggering” proportions, with nearly...
The 13th Session of the World Urban Forum (WUF13) opened in Baku with ministers, UN officials and urban policy leaders. Participants call for ...
Thousands of displaced families in Gaza are facing growing infestations of rats and insects as worsening sanita...
The 13th Session of the World Urban Forum (WUF13) opened in Baku with ministers, UN officials and urban policy leaders. Participants call for action on housing, sustainable development and resilient cities, as rapid urbanisation is placing pressure on infrastructure, services and living conditions.
Thousands of displaced families in Gaza are facing growing infestations of rats and insects as worsening sanitation conditions and mounting waste deepen the humanitarian crisis across overcrowded camps, according to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East.
At least four people have been killed in a major Ukrainian drone attack on Russian territory, including the Moscow region, which authorities say faced its largest aerial assault in more than a year.
The World Urban Forum (WUF) opens this week in Baku, Azerbaijan, bringing together governments, city leaders, urban planners, researchers and civil society to exchange ideas on how cities can become more inclusive, resilient and sustainable.
Bulgaria has won the Eurovision Song Contest for the first time, taking victory in a final overshadowed by a boycott over Israel’s participation and the war in Gaza.
At least eight people were injured after a driver rammed a car into pedestrians in the northern Italian city of Modena, authorities said on Saturday. Four of the victims were reported to be in serious condition.
U.S. President Donald Trump said Washington could destroy Iran’s infrastructure “in two days,” while Tehran warned the U.S. would face growing economic costs from the conflict. The remarks came as Hezbollah reported new attacks on Israeli forces despite an extended Lebanon ceasefire.
At least eight people have died and 32 others were injured after a freight train collided with a public bus at a railway crossing in Bangkok on Saturday (16 May), triggering a fire that quickly spread through the vehicle.
U.S. President Donald Trump says China's Xi Jinping agreed Iran must reopen the Strait of Hormuz, as Tehran prepares a new shipping mechanism. Tensions over the U.S. blockade and stalled nuclear talks continue to disrupt global oil supplies.
Small businesses across Russia are increasingly feeling the impact of tighter internet restrictions, including limits on the messaging app Telegram, stricter controls on virtual private networks, and repeated mobile internet outages.
Taiwan’s President Lai Ching-te has reaffirmed the island’s commitment to sovereignty and regional stability following the recent meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping.
At least four people have been killed in a major Ukrainian drone attack on Russian territory, including the Moscow region, which authorities say faced its largest aerial assault in more than a year.
China has launched the world’s first experiment to study how artificial human embryos develop in space, marking a major step in understanding whether humans could one day reproduce beyond Earth.
Every day, an elderly woman in China’s Shandong province looks forward to a video call from her son. He asks about her health, tells her he has been busy with work, and promises he will come home once he has saved enough money. She tells him she misses him. He tells her to take care of herself.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment