Can Hantavirus Spread Like Covid-19: At present, concern about Hantavirus is increasing across the world. The biggest question in people’s minds is whether this infection can also spread like Corona? Could there be a lockdown again, will it be necessary to wear masks and the world is moving towards a new pandemic? The World Health Organization (WHO) has clarified its position on all these questions.

Information from World Health Organization

In a press conference held on Thursday evening, Dr. Maria Van Kerkhove, Director of Epidemic Management of the World Health Organization, clearly said that “This is not Covid nor a flu-like virus. Its mode of spread is completely different.” He said that currently no new symptoms have been found in any passenger or crew present on the ship. In earlier cases of Andes virus, human-to-human infection was seen only in very close contacts.

Cases have been seen before

The director of the Alert and Response Coordination Department of the World Health Organization said that in the year 2018-19, a similar case had come to light in Argentina, where an infected person attended a public program and many people got infected. He said that the situation is still limited and if steps like contact tracing and isolation are taken properly then the infection can be prevented.

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WHO chief’s statement

WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said that Hantavirus is a virus spread by rats and other rodents, which can cause serious disease in humans. People usually become infected by coming in contact with the urine, saliva or feces of infected rats. He said that in this case, Andes strain has been found, which is found in Latin America and has the ability to spread on a limited scale among humans. He told that the first case on the ship was reported on April 6. One person showed symptoms and died on April 11. Initially his samples were not taken because the symptoms looked like other respiratory infections. Later his wife also got infected and her condition deteriorated while traveling from St. Helena to Johannesburg. He died on 26 April. Some other patients are being treated in different countries.

“Last Saturday, the United Kingdom notified @WHO under the International Health Regulations of a cluster of passengers with severe respiratory illness on a Dutch-flagged cruise ship, the MV Hondius, which had traveled from Argentina to Cabo Verde.

So far, eight cases have been…

— World Health Organization (WHO) (@WHO) May 7, 2026

In which countries is this virus affected?

At present, there are about 150 passengers and crew members on the ship, who belong to 23 countries. Many countries have increased surveillance. In many countries including Argentina, South Africa, Netherlands, Germany, Britain, Singapore and America, people who came in contact are being investigated and monitored. However, till now most of the people are without symptoms. The World Health Organization has given information to those 12 countries whose citizens disembarked from the ship in St. Helena. These include citizens of Britain, Canada, Denmark, Germany, Netherlands, New Zealand, St. Kitts and Nevis, Singapore, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey and America.

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