New Delhi, May 8 -- Amid concerns triggered by reports of a hantavirus outbreak on a cruise ship carrying 149 passengers, including two Indian crew members, medical experts on Friday sought to allay fears, stating that there is no cause for panic and no pandemic threat to India.

While speaking to ANI, Dr Naveen Kumar, Director of ICMR-National Institute of Virology (NIV), Pune, stated that the reported infections among Indian nationals appear to be isolated imported cases and do not indicate any community spread within India.

"At present, the reported infections among Indian nationals aboard a cruise ship appear to be isolated imported cases and do not indicate community spread in India. Since hantavirus transmission is primarily rodent...