India, May 7 -- The World Health Organisation on Thursday dismissed concerns that the hantavirus outbreak could spiral into a global pandemic. Panic set in after at least eight cases of hantavirus were confirmed after an outbreak on a cruise ship in the Atlantic Ocean.

Addressing a press conference on the outbreak, Dr. Maria Van Kerkhove, a director at the UN health agency, stated that the hantavirus outbreak is not similar to the coronavirus pandemic.

"This is not COVID. This is a very different virus, and we know this virus. Hantavirus has been around for many years," she said, adding that the current outbreak remains confined to the cruise ship and its passengers.

More details to follow

Published by HT Digital Content Services with...