The national department of health has confirmed the death of passengers who allegedly contracted hantavirus while on an international cruise ship travelling to the Canary Islands.
According to the department, the ship was travelling from southern Argentina to the Canary Islands via Cape Verde.
While the ship was travelling past South African shores, some of the passengers experienced serious health complications arising from what was initially considered severe acute respiratory infections.
This is what the former chair of the SA Medical Association, Dr Angelique Coetzee, had to say about hantavirus:
- The risk to the general public is very low, as hantavirus is not spread from human to human like the flu.
- The virus spreading in the form of human contact is extremely rare.
- It is mainly transmitted by inhaling particles from rodents’ droppings or urine.
- Symptoms of hantavirus can be flu-like, including muscle ache and fatigue, while severe symptoms can affect the lungs, which can lead to breathing difficulties.
- The situation on the cruise ship is most likely an isolated case rather than a widespread outbreak.
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.