How Dangerous Is Hantavirus Compared To Covid: At present, discussion about Hanta virus is being seen everywhere. The big question is whether this virus can also spread as fast as Corona? Will infection occur just by touching and is the world moving towards a new epidemic again? Amidst all these questions, WHO has issued an alert and given important information about the situation.
What is the matter?
Actually, this case is related to the Dutch flag luxury cruise ship MV Hondius, where after a mysterious respiratory illness, Hanta virus infection has now been confirmed. So far, eight cases related to this ship have been reported, out of which Hanta virus has been confirmed in five people while three cases are considered suspicious. Three people have also died.
What does the World Health Organization say?
According to World Health Organization officials, the first infected person on the ship fell ill on April 6 and died on April 11. Initially, doctors did not suspect Hantavirus because its symptoms were like those of a common respiratory infection. For this reason even initial samples were not taken. Later, when other passengers also started falling ill, health agencies started investigating Hantavirus.
What do experts say?
World Health Organization’s infectious disease expert Dr Maria Van Kerkhove clearly said that this virus should not be compared with Corona. He said, “This is not SARS-CoV-2 and it does not spread in the same way. The infection is likely to spread only through very close and prolonged contact.” He also told that most Hantaviruses do not spread from person to person.
How does this virus spread?
Health experts say that Hanta virus usually spreads through contact with infected rats or their feces and urine. However, in this case, Andes strain is being suspected, which is a rare type of Hanta virus in which the ability to spread infection from person to person has been seen on a limited level. This is the reason why WHO is keeping a very close watch on this matter.
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Incubation period up to six weeks
WHO also said that the incubation period of Hanta virus can be up to six weeks. This means that symptoms may appear even several weeks after infection. For this reason, passengers are being monitored in many countries of the world. WHO has sent an alert to 12 countries where passengers had disembarked from the ship in St. Helena. Seeing the seriousness of the situation, experts from WHO, doctors from the Netherlands and a team from the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control have reached the ship. This team is medically examining the passengers and trying to find out whether the infection spread inside the ship or whether people were already infected.
Although WHO is currently downplaying its risk worldwide, experts believe that staying together for a long time in closed places like cruise ships can increase the risk of spreading the infection. This is the reason why health agencies around the world are keeping a very vigilant eye on this matter.
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Disclaimer: This information is based on research studies and expert opinion. Do not consider this as a substitute for medical advice. Before adopting any new activity or exercise, please consult your doctor or relevant specialist.
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