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2 French, 1 US evacuee test positive for hantavirus after cruise outbreak

Passengers evacuated from the hantavirus-hit cruise ship began flying home aboard military and government planes after the vessel anchored in the Canary Islands, with one American testing positive and a French traveller developing symptoms for the pathogen aboard their separate aircraft. One the 17 American passengers evacuated from the MV Hondius tested positive for the hantavirus but is not showing any symptoms, US health officials said late Sunday. Earlier, one of the five French passengers developed symptoms on their flight home, French Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu said in a statement, and all were put into strict isolation with plans to be tested. Passengers were evacuated off the MV Hondius following its arrival in Tenerife, the largest island in the Spanish archipelago off the West African coast. Earlier, officials from the Spanish Health Ministry, the World Health Organisation and the cruise company Oceanwide Expeditions had said none of the more than 140 people who wer

WHO chief reassures Tenerife as hantavirus cruise ship nears island

The head of the World Health Organisation sought Saturday to reassure worried residents of the Spanish island of Tenerife that they are not in danger from the anticipated arrival there of a hantavirus-stricken cruise ship, issuing a direct message to them. The Dutch-flagged MV Hondius, with more than 140 passengers and crew on board, is headed to Spain's Canary Islands, off the coast of West Africa, and is expected to arrive at the island of Tenerife in the early hours of Sunday. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, along with Spain's Health Minister Monica Garcia and Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska, are to head to the island Saturday to coordinate the disembarkation. of passengers and some crew. Some residents on the island have said they do not want the ship to dock there, fearing the transmission of the virus. On board the cruise ship, some of the Spanish passengers have voiced concern about how they will be received once on land. "I know you are worried.

Health Ministry activates precautionary surveillance amid hantavirus

The Health Ministry has stepped up surveillance after probable hantavirus cases were reported onboard the cruise ship MV Hondius, with two Indians under observation

India faces no immediate public health threat from hantavirus: NIV chief

Amid concerns over two Indian nationals reportedly infected with the hantavirus aboard a cruise ship, Director of the ICMR's National Institute of Virology Dr Naveen Kumar on Friday said the cases appear to be isolated ones and there is no immediate public health threat to India. Kumar said there is no evidence of community spread as of now. Hantaviruses are mainly transmitted to humans through contact with infected rodents or their excreta such as saliva, urine and faeces, he told PTI. People usually get infected by inhaling aerosolised virus particles from rodent urine, droppings, or saliva in closed or poorly ventilated spaces such as warehouses, ships, barns and storage areas, he said. "The reported hantavirus cases appear to be isolated ones and there is no immediate public health threat to India," he said. His remarks come after reports that two Indian nationals aboard a cruise ship were detected with hantavirus. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), the two Ind

Two Indian nationals among crew on cruise ship hit by hantavirus outbreak

At least two Indian nationals are part of the crew of the Dutch vessel MV Hondius which reported a hantavirus outbreak with five confirmed cases and three deaths so far, according to the BBC. The luxury cruise ship, operated by Oceanwide Expeditions, began its journey on April 1 from Argentina's Ushuaia and is expected to arrive in Spain's Canary Islands on May 10. About 150 passengers and crew from 28 countries were initially aboard the luxury cruise, but dozens disembarked on the island of St Helena on April 24, according to the report. Of the 28 nationalities onboard, 38 are from the Philippines, 31 from the UK, 23 from the US, 16 from the Netherlands, 14 from Spain, nine from Germany, six from Canada, and two crew members from India, among others, the BBC reported. The World Health Organization said on Thursday that five of the eight suspected hantavirus cases had been confirmed. A 69-year-old Dutch woman, confirmed to have the virus, has died; her Dutch husband and a German w

Timeline of rare hantavirus outbreak on cruise ship that killed 3

An outbreak of the rare hantavirus unfolded over weeks on a cruise ship as it sailed across the Atlantic Ocean. At least three passengers have died and several others are sick and were evacuated from the ship. Health authorities are trying to trace passengers who left the ship previously and people who might have had contact with them. More than 140 passengers and crew members are still aboard the Dutch-flagged MV Hondius as it heads for Spain's Canary Islands. Hantavirus is a rodent-borne infection that in rare cases can be transmitted from person to person, though the World Health Organisation says the risk to the wider public is low because the virus can't easily be passed between people. Here's a timeline of the outbreak: April 1 --------- The ship sets off from Ushuaia in the far south of Argentina. Scheduled stops include Antarctica and several isolated South Atlantic Ocean islands. April 6 --------- A 70-year-old Dutch man becomes sick on board with fever, headache and

Hantavirus on cruise ship: Experts probe rare human-to-human transmission

Health agencies across multiple countries are tracing passengers and probing the source of a deadly hantavirus outbreak linked to a cruise ship

What to know about hantavirus, illness suspected in cruise ship outbreak

A rodent-borne illness is suspected of causing an outbreak aboard a cruise ship that has killed three people and sickened others. Studies indicate hantaviruses have been around for centuries, with outbreaks documented in Asia and Europe. In the Eastern Hemisphere, it has been linked with hemorrhagic fever and kidney failure. It wasn't until the early 1990s that a previously unknown group of hantaviruses emerged in the southwestern United States as the cause of an acute respiratory disease now known as hantavirus pulmonary syndrome. The disease gained attention last year after the late actor Gene Hackman's wife, Betsy Arakawa, died from a hantavirus infection in New Mexico. The World Health Organisation said in a statement Sunday that detailed investigations of the cruise ship outbreak are ongoing, including further laboratory testing and epidemiological investigations. Sequencing of the virus is also ongoing. The virus is spread by rodents and, more rarely, ...

Three dead after suspected hantavirus outbreak on cruise ship in Atlantic

A suspected outbreak of the rare hantavirus infection on a cruise ship in the Atlantic Ocean killed three people, including an elderly married couple, and sickened at least three others, the World Health Organisation and South Africa's Department of Health said Sunday. In a statement to The Associated Press, WHO said an investigation was underway but that at least one case of hantavirus had been confirmed. One of the patients was in intensive care in a South African hospital, the UN's health agency said, and it was working with authorities to evacuate two others with symptoms from the ship. The Dutch company that operates the cruise said the ship was now sitting off the coast of Cape Verde, an island nation off Africa's west coast, and local authorities were assisting but had not allowed anyone to disembark. It said the two sick people onboard requiring urgent medical care were crew members. Hantavirus infections are spread mainly by rodents Hantaviruses, which are found throughout

WHO revises opioid treatment guidelines to prevent overdose deaths

As opioid-related deaths remain a major public health concern, WHO has updated its guidance on treatment and overdose prevention

World Autism Awareness Day 2026: Moving from awareness to acceptance

This World Autism Awareness day, the spotlight is on building inclusive systems that support autistic individuals in everyday life

Not every cough is viral: When to check for early signs of tuberculosis

Early TB symptoms are easy to miss, but delay can be dangerous. Experts share when to seek help, what treatment involves, and key dos and don'ts

World Tuberculosis Day 2026: Why fight against TB is far from over

TB is preventable and curable, yet it remains a leading infectious killer. World TB Day 2026 highlights the urgent need to act faster, as gaps in detection and care persist

Global air quality worsens in 2025 as most cities miss WHO standards

The world's 25 most polluted cities were all located in India, Pakistan and China, where industrial emissions, vehicle exhaust, dust storms and crop burning contributed to poor air quality

AI can transform healthcare in areas lacking specialists: Ex-WHO official

The India AI Impact Summit reflects on the transformative potential of AI, aligning with the national vision of 'Sarvajana Hitaya, Sarvajana Sukhaya'

Nearly 40% of cancer cases linked to preventable risks, shows new study

A WHO-led study across 185 countries reveals that nearly four in ten cancers are linked to avoidable risks, reinforcing the importance of prevention-focused policies

WHO assesses Nipah cases in India, flags low risk of global spread

The global health agency says there is no evidence of wider transmission and advises against travel restrictions, while monitoring continues

WHO calls on schools worldwide to champion healthy eating for children

Highlighting rising childhood obesity and undernutrition, WHO is calling on schools worldwide to adopt stronger nutrition standards and create healthier food environments

Antimicrobial sales growth set to temper in 2026 over govt's AMR push

Stricter rules to curb antimicrobial resistance may limit antibiotic sales growth in 2026, as India tightens OTC use and pushes prescription-led, responsible consumption

US walks away from WHO leaving behind $260 million in unpaid dues

The withdrawal notice left the health organisation without its top donor. Between 2022 and 2023, the US contributed nearly $1.3 billion to the WHO