The infectious disease specialist did not rule out the possibility of mutation of hantavirus Andes

Currently, the probability of mutations and easier transmission of hantavirus Andes to humans is estimated to be low, while theoretically such a possibility cannot be excluded. This was announced on May 14 by infectious diseases doctor Elena Meskina.

"Theoretically, the possibility of mutation and easier transmission to humans of hantavirus Andes is not excluded. But now active human—to-human transmission of the virus is more an exception to the rule than the appearance of some new property of the virus," she told RIA Novosti.

Meskina stressed that viruses will always adapt and change depending on conditions. This makes them more dangerous. At the same time, the risks of widespread spread of the disease continue to be assessed as unlikely.

"The risks and danger of widespread distribution are now assessed as small, at least for our region," the expert said.

Age transition: mortality from hantavirus in adolescents aged 15-19 reaches 50%

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Sergio De Olivera, a doctor working on the border of Uruguay and Brazil, said earlier that day that it takes healthy people about 20 days to recover from hantavirus, while in the presence of chronic diseases such as diabetes or hypertension, this process will take about a month.

Brazilian scientists, as reported on the same day, analyzed data on hantavirus for ten years. It is the country in Latin America with the highest incidence of this infection. The study showed that the highest mortality rate from pathogen—induced fever is among adolescents aged 15-19 years. 89.7% of patients with hantavirus infection required hospitalization. The average mortality rate for all ages is 33.3%.