The World Health Organization has raised to eight the total number of hantavirus cases detected in the current outbreak. The figure includes three laboratory confirmations and five patients under clinical suspicion.
The eighth case corresponds to a passenger from the ship MV Hondius. Swiss authorities confirmed the infection and the patient is admitted to a hospital in Zurich.
The Andes virus allows transmission between people
The WHO has identified that the responsible pathogenic agent is hantavirus Andes with human contagion capacity. This typology presents documented history of direct person-to-person transmission.
This characteristic distinguishes the outbreak from other variants of the virus that usually require exposure to infected rodents as the main vector. The confirmation of the viral type modifies the applicable containment protocols.
Health teams are working with the countries involved in an international contact tracing. The objective is to monitor potentially exposed individuals during the journey or at ports of call.
"Limiting the spread of the disease requires identifying all those exposed" - World Health Organization
International tracking seeks to curb expansion
Authorities coordinate the surveillance of individuals who maintained close contact with those affected. The strategy prioritizes early detection of new symptoms in the transmission chain.
The monitoring covers multiple jurisdictions given the mobile nature of the initial focus on the cruise ship. National health systems remain on alert for the appearance of compatible cases.