Hantavirus Situation in Armenia: Details

The World Health Organization reports that on May 2, an alert was received from the United Kingdom's national health coordinator regarding clusters of severe acute respiratory illnesses on a cruise ship flying the Dutch flag. The cruise began in Ushuaia, Argentina. There were 147 people on board, including 88 passengers and 59 crew members from about 23 different nationalities.

The National Center for Disease Control and Prevention has announced that as of May 6, there have been 7 recorded cases of the disease: 2 laboratory-confirmed hantavirus cases, 5 suspected cases, 3 fatalities, 1 patient in critical condition, and 3 individuals with mild symptoms.

The disease has manifested with fever, gastrointestinal symptoms, rapid progression to pneumonia, acute respiratory distress syndrome, and shock. The identified virus is Andes hantavirus, which can rarely be transmitted from person to person, mainly under close and prolonged contact conditions.

The primary route of transmission remains contact with the urine, feces, or saliva of infected rodents. The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) and the World Health Organization currently assess the risk to the general population as very low.

Necessary epidemic control measures are underway, and individuals on the ship continue to be monitored. In Armenia, the situation is also manageable, and there is no danger to the population. The risk of hantavirus transmission in our country is currently assessed as low, and health authorities continue to monitor international epidemiological developments. The WHO currently does not recommend any travel or trade restrictions.