WHO chief says "work not over" after evacuation of hantavirus-stricken cruise ship

"“There is no sign that we are seeing the start of a larger outbreak,” Tedros told a joint news conference in Madrid with Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez. “But of course the situation could change, and given the long incubation period of the virus, it's possible we might see more cases in the coming weeks,” Tedros said."

"Most countries have followed the WHO's guidelines, which include a 42-day quarantine and constant monitoring of high-risk contacts. “I hope they (countries) will follow the advice and recommendations we are making,” Tedros said in Madrid."

"Jay Bhattacharya, the acting director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said it doesn't make sense to sound “a five-alarm fire bell” because the risk to the public from hantavirus is “much, much lower” than what we saw with the COVID-19 pandemic. “It's very different than COVID, and we should treat it differently than COVID,” Bhattacharya told “CBS Evening News” anchor Tony Dokoupil on Monday when asked about the lack of daily briefings on the outbreak."

"More than 120 passengers and crew on the MV Hondius were flown out from Spain's Canary Islands on Sunday and Monday, and countries have adopted different health measures for their returning evacuees. Eighteen American passengers who were on the ship returned to the U.S. on Monday and are being monitored at medical facilities in Nebraska and Georgia."

Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said containment work for hantavirus is not finished after evacuations from the MV Hondius following deaths among passengers. Three passengers died in a rare outbreak for which no vaccines or specific treatments exist. Health officials stated the global public health risk is low and rejected comparisons to the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Tedros said there is no sign of a larger outbreak, while warning the situation could change and more cases could appear in coming weeks because of the virus’s long incubation period. More than 120 passengers and crew were evacuated from Spain’s Canary Islands, and countries used WHO guidance including a 42-day quarantine and monitoring of high-risk contacts. U.S. passengers are being monitored in medical facilities in Nebraska and Georgia.

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