The World Health Organization has warned that additional cases of hantavirus may still emerge following an outbreak linked to a cruise ship, although health officials believe the situation can remain under control if safety measures are maintained.
The warning comes after three passengers aboard the MV Hondius died from the virus while travelling across the Atlantic.
Health authorities confirmed that another infected passenger arrived in Europe on Thursday as investigations into the outbreak continued.
According to WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, five confirmed infections and three suspected cases have so far been connected to the outbreak, including the three fatalities.
He explained that more infections could still appear because the incubation period of the Andes strain of hantavirus can last up to six weeks.
The rare Andes strain is one of the few types of hantavirus known to spread between humans.
Shortly after the WHO briefing in Geneva, Leiden University Medical Centre confirmed another positive case linked to the cruise ship.
Despite concerns, WHO officials stressed that the outbreak does not currently pose the threat of a global pandemic.
WHO emergency response official Abdi Rahman Mahamud said health agencies believe the outbreak can remain limited if countries continue public health monitoring and cooperation.
WHO epidemic preparedness director Maria Van Kerkhove also stated that the outbreak should not be compared to COVID-19, noting that the virus is far less contagious.
Hantavirus is a rare disease commonly spread through contact with infected rodents. It can lead to severe breathing problems, heart complications, and dangerous fevers.
There is currently no approved vaccine or specific cure for the illness, and treatment mainly focuses on managing symptoms and supporting recovery.
Health officials believe one passenger may have contracted the virus in Argentina before boarding the ship and later transmitted it to others during the voyage.
Several passengers are now receiving treatment or remaining in isolation in countries including the United Kingdom, Germany, Netherlands, Switzerland, and South Africa.
The ship’s operator, Oceanwide Expeditions, confirmed that several passengers had already been evacuated from the vessel, while the ship continued its journey toward Tenerife in Spain.
The company stated that no passengers currently onboard were showing symptoms of the disease.
Authorities in Argentina have also begun plans to test rodents in the coastal city of Ushuaia, where the cruise began its journey in April.
Investigations are ongoing as international health agencies continue tracing passengers and monitoring possible exposures linked to the outbreak.
