WHO urged not to restrict travel due to hantavirus

The World Health Organization (WHO) sees no risks to the widespread spread of hantavirus and does not consider it necessary to restrict international travel. This was announced on May 4 by the head of the organization's European office, Hans Kluge, on his page on the social network X (former. Twitter).

According to the WHO representative, cases of infection are usually associated with environmental influences, in particular with contact with waste products of infected rodents. Kluge noted that despite the severe course of the disease in some cases, the infection is not easily transmitted from person to person. Therefore, the risk to the public is assessed as low.

"The risk to the general public remains low. There is no need for panic or travel restrictions," he said.

Kluge stressed that health threats do not take into account national borders, so protecting people is possible only through joint international work. He announced these conclusions upon his return from a trip to Africa, where he discussed the issue of strengthening cooperation in emergency situations in the field of healthcare.

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The day before, it became known that according to preliminary data, an outbreak of hantavirus occurred on board the MV Hondius cruise ship en route from Argentina to Cape Verde, killing at least two people. It was noted that the WHO confirmed that they were aware of severe cases of acute respiratory illness on the liner.