GENEVA – The World Health Organization declared the hantavirus outbreak linked to the cruise ship MV Hondius over on Thursday. The final contact of a person exposed to the virus completed quarantine, tested negative and returned home, WHO said.
“No further cases have been reported since the 25th of May,” Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO’s director-general, told a press briefing in Geneva.
“We are therefore very pleased to say that WHO considers the outbreak of hantavirus over.”
The total number of cases from the outbreak remains 13, including 12 confirmed cases and one probable case. Three people died.
More than 650 contacts were identified and followed up by health authorities in 33 countries and territories.
Tedros thanked the countries that supported the response “in line with the International Health Regulations.” He named Argentina, Cabo Verde, Chile, the Netherlands, South Africa, the United Kingdom and Spain.
He singled out Spain for special thanks. “Muchas gracias,” he said, praising the country’s “incredible solidarity” in supporting the safe disembarkation and repatriation of passengers and crew in Tenerife.
The Dutch-flagged ship set off April 1 from Ushuaia, Argentina. It took in remote islands in the South Atlantic Ocean, including Tristan da Cunha, before heading north to Tenerife in Spain’s Canary Islands, where the remaining passengers were safely disembarked and repatriated. The ship later docked in Rotterdam. On May 30, it was cleared to put to sea again after cleaning and disinfection.
“Although the outbreak is over, WHO will continue working with governments and partners to advance our understanding of this outbreak and of hantavirus more generally,” Tedros said.
“We are also coordinating a study involving 21 countries to understand how the disease develops, which will support the development of diagnostics, therapeutics, and vaccines for future outbreaks.”
Tedros also gave updates on other health emergencies. He said the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo continues to expand, and that Uganda has confirmed a case of Marburg virus disease.
“The outbreaks of hantavirus, Ebola and Marburg all show why there is no alternative to international cooperation in the face of international threats,” he said. “No country alone can fight.”