The Risk of Hantavirus Spread in Europe

The Italian Health Ministry considers that the risk of hantavirus spread in Europe remains very low, reports the 'Agi' agency on Wednesday.

The deadly and dangerous outbreak of hantavirus occurred on the Dutch cruise ship 'Em-Vi Hondius', which was traveling from Argentina to Cape Verde. Three people have died. On Saturday, the ship arrived at the shores of the Canary Islands, and the passengers were evacuated.

On Tuesday, the WHO reported the identification of 11 cases of hantavirus, nine of which were confirmed as Andes virus.

"The risk associated with this virus remains very low in Europe, and therefore in Italy," the agency quotes the spokesperson of the Italian Health Ministry.

The ministry has reported that tests for hantavirus on a British tourist who disembarked from the cruise ship on St. Helena island and flew to Johannesburg have returned negative. His companion's tests were also negative.

Additionally, hantavirus was not detected in a young man from Calabria, southern Italy, who is in self-isolation, nor in a tourist arriving from Argentina who was hospitalized for pneumonia in the Sicilian city of Messina.