Brief by Shorts91 Newsdesk / 09:45am on 13 May 2026,Wednesday Health & Wellness
The World Health Organization (WHO) has warned countries to stay alert for more hantavirus cases following an outbreak linked to the cruise ship MV Hondius. The vessel was travelling from Argentina to Cape Verde when several suspected infections were reported. Health officials are closely monitoring the situation because the Andes strain of hantavirus, unlike most forms of the virus, can spread through close human contact. Hantavirus is usually transmitted through infected wild rodents and can cause severe respiratory illness. The WHO has asked countries to strengthen surveillance and preparedness measures as concerns grow over the possible spread of infections in the coming weeks.
