Health experts say the recent hantavirus outbreak linked to the MV Hondius cruise ship is not another Covid-style pandemic, though the incident has renewed concerns about America’s public health preparedness.
According to the World Health Organization, 11 cases have been linked to the outbreak, including three deaths. No Americans have tested positive so far, though 18 U.S. passengers are under monitoring in medical facilities in Nebraska and Atlanta.
Experts stressed that the Andes strain of hantavirus spreads far less easily than viruses such as Covid-19 or measles. The report said transmission usually requires prolonged close contact with an infected person.
While the CDC is “encouraging” American passengers of the Hantavirus-infected cruise ship to isolate at home, there is no formal quarantine order, meaning these individuals can go out in public if they choose. The organization said on Wednesday that the hantavirus remains a low… pic.twitter.com/sKTznVJa73
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Officials believe the outbreak began after a Dutch couple visited rodent-heavy birdwatching sites in South America before boarding the cruise.
Still, some public health experts warned the outbreak exposed weaknesses in the U.S. disease response system following staffing cuts at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Trump administration’s withdrawal from the WHO.
Researchers also noted that vaccine development remains in early stages.
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