‘We know this virus’: WHO dismisses comparisons between hantavirus outbreak and COVID-19 pandemic

The World Health Organization (WHO) on Thursday sought to calm fears over the recent hantavirus outbreak, stressing that the situation is unlikely to escalate into a global pandemic despite growing concern after cases emerged on a cruise ship in the Atlantic Ocean.

Panic had spread after at least eight hantavirus cases were reported following the outbreak aboard the vessel.

Addressing a press conference, WHO’s epidemic preparedness director Dr Maria Van Kerkhove said the outbreak bears no resemblance to the coronavirus crisis.

“This is not COVID. This is a very different virus, and we know this virus. Hantavirus has been around for many years,” she said, noting that the outbreak remains limited to the cruise ship and its passengers.

“This is not the same situation we were in six years ago,” she added.

WHO officials said they expect the outbreak to remain contained if public health measures are implemented swiftly and countries cooperate effectively.

“We believe this will be a limited outbreak if the public health measures are implemented and solidarity shown across all countries,” said WHO emergency alert and response director Abdi Rahman Mahamud.

According to the UN health agency, eight cases have been identified so far, including five confirmed infections and three suspected cases.

The outbreak triggered alarm after WHO confirmed three deaths linked to the virus and launched contact tracing efforts involving passengers who had already disembarked from the cruise ship.

WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus described the incident as “serious” but stressed that the broader public health risk remains low.