The Director-General of the World Health Organization, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, has said there are no indications that a large-scale hantavirus outbreak is beginning.
Addressing a press briefing, Tedros emphasized that the situation does not resemble previous global health emergencies, Caliber.Az reports, citing Russian media.
“This is not another Covid,” he said, referring to the ongoing hantavirus situation involving passengers linked to the cruise ship MV Hondius.
“There are no signs that we are seeing the beginning of a larger hantavirus outbreak,” the WHO chief stated.
He added that, to the best of the organization’s knowledge, passengers who disembarked from the vessel have been located, reducing concerns about potential further spread of the virus. Health authorities had earlier expressed concern about tracking exposed individuals after the ship-related outbreak.
The WHO chief noted that this traceability effort was important in managing risks associated with the incident.
Tedros also highlighted broader tensions in global response measures surrounding the outbreak, particularly regarding isolation protocols.
The WHO has recommended that all passengers associated with the incident isolate for 45 days, guidance that several countries have reportedly followed. However, some states have indicated they do not intend to implement quarantine measures, while in the United States the quarantine duration has not been formally defined.
“We cannot force countries to follow our protocols; we can only advise and recommend,” Tedros said.
The comments come amid ongoing international monitoring of the hantavirus cases linked to the MV Hondius, as health authorities continue efforts to contain the situation and assess potential risks.
By Vafa Guliyeva
