Belarus Records 50 Cases of Hantavirus Each Year

Minsk (ANTARA) - Cases of hantavirus infection are rare in Belarus, with an average of around 50 people hospitalised each year due to Hemorrhagic Fever with Renal Syndrome (HFRS) caused by the virus.

This is according to data from the medical service of the Department of Finance and Logistics at the Gomel Regional Directorate of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Belarus, as reported by RIA Novosti correspondent on Wednesday (13/5).

“Hantavirus infections in the Republic of Belarus are detected as isolated cases each year, with an average of around 50 people per year hospitalised with HFRS,” the ministry said in a statement.

The statement also noted that most hantavirus infections are not transmitted between humans. The virus is transmitted to humans from rodents, with the most severe cases resulting from inhaling dust containing rodent droppings.

However, they did not rule out the possibility of new cases being detected among passengers currently in quarantine.

A deadly outbreak of hantavirus occurred on the Dutch cruise ship MV Hondius, which was sailing from Argentina to Cape Verde, with three people reported dead. The cruise ship arrived off the coast of the Canary Islands on May 9 and the passengers were immediately evacuated.

On Tuesday (12/5), the World Health Organization (WHO) reported 11 cases of hantavirus on the ship, nine of which were confirmed as Andes virus.

Source: Sputnik/RIA Novosti