Health

What is hantavirus, the strange infection that killed three people on a cruise ship and is causing global alert

The confirmation of a case of hantavirus and the analysis of five more suspected cases have focused global attention on the investigations currently led by...

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60 Minutes, considered one of the most successful in the history of television, aired a report this Sunday on how, despite the consequences and victims left behind, decades of armed conflict in Colombia helped preserve bird habitats.

Two minors and one adult: the three fatalities in a Monster Truck exhibition in Popayán

A Monster Truck exhibition ended in tragedy in the city of Popayán after one of the modified vehicles lost control and ran into the crowd watching the show. Three people died in the incident.

Britney Spears pleads guilty to drunk and drugged driving

Pop star Britney Spears pleaded guilty Monday in a California court to reckless driving under the influence of alcohol and drugs, following her arrest last March, an incident that led to the artist's voluntary admission to a rehabilitation center. The singer's defense attorney appeared on behalf of the defendant before a Ventura County judge after being charged last Thursday by the prosecution with a misdemeanor.

Filipinos, Britons, Americans, and Spaniards Among Most Numerous on Ship with Hantavirus

38 Filipinos (all crew members), 23 Britons, 17 Americans, and 14 Spaniards are the most numerous among the 149 people of 23 nationalities traveling on the cruise ship MV Hondius, where a possible Hantavirus outbreak has been detected. The ship is off the coast of Cape Verde, whose authorities have denied entry for reasons of "national public safety," the Dutch cruise operator Oceanwide Expeditions reported this Monday.

Spanish Health Points to Cruise Ship as Source of Hantavirus Outbreak

The World Health Organization (WHO) confirmed this Sunday that at least six people were affected by a possible hantavirus outbreak – three dead and three ill – detected on the ship ‘MV Hondius’, which set sail with 150 tourists aboard on March 20 from Ushuaia (southern Argentina) to cross the South Atlantic heading for the Spanish Canary Islands archipelago. The largest group on board the ship are Filipinos (38), followed by Britons (23), Americans (17), and Spaniards (14). There is also one Argentine passenger and one Guatemalan crew member. The vessel is currently off the coast of Praia, the capital of Cape Verde, whose authorities have denied entry for reasons of "national public security," as reported by the cruise operator, the Dutch company Oceanwide Expeditions. The WHO confirmed at least six people affected by a possible hantavirus outbreak – three dead and three ill – on the ‘MV Hondius’ ship. The vessel is off the coast of Cape Verde, whose authorities have denied entry. The outbreak is believed to have occurred on the ship itself. Hantavirus is generally contracted by inhalation, but also through direct contact or bites/scratches from infected rodents. Symptoms resemble flu, and severe cases can lead to the potentially fatal cardiopulmonary syndrome. Prevention involves hygiene to avoid rodents and good ventilation. The company is considering navigating to the Canary Islands for medical examinations and case management.

Two dead and three injured as a small plane crashes into a building in Brazil

Two people died and three others were seriously injured this Monday after a small plane crashed into a residential building in the city of Belo Horizonte, capital of the Brazilian state of Minas Gerais, according to official sources. EFE The regional Fire Department indicated that the fatal victims were the pilot and the co-pilot, who were trapped in the wreckage of the aircraft. The other three occupants, all men aged 18, 40 and 50, were rescued alive and transferred "in serious condition" to João XXIII hospital. There were no victims among the residents of the building, which was evacuated as a precaution, according to reports. The aircraft, a single-engine PT-EYT, had departed from Pampulha airport, in Belo Horizonte, shortly after noon bound for São Paulo, after arriving from the Vale do Jequitinhonha region. The accident occurred just minutes later when the aircraft impacted a three-story building in the stairwell area, without directly hitting the apartments. Rescue teams and experts from the Civil Police are at the scene to secure the area and conduct initial investigations into the causes of the event, although Civil Defense ruled out structural damage to the building.

Out-of-pocket healthcare spending grew 57% and hits poor and rural households hardest in Colombia

Out-of-pocket healthcare spending grew 57.3% between 2022 and 2025 in Colombia Photo: iStock

Complaint to the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights increases pressure on the government over health crisis and systemic risk in medical care

Legal action involves President Petro and Health Ministers Photo: Mauricio Moreno - Portafolio, EFE, Néstor Gómez-Portafolio

The 'boom' of 'skincare' in Colombia, a market that grows in double digits and gains relevance in the market

The boom of skincare in Colombia Photo: Taken from Carrusel Beauty Academy

This is Sonia Segura, the woman driving “La Dragona,” the Monster Truck that caused a tragedy in Popayán

Sonia Segura, driver of La Dragona. Photo: Taken from social networks - A.P.I.

Capital Families Find a Refreshing and Safe Space in Xilonem

The high pressures felt in Managua and its neighboring municipalities forced dozens of residents to seek the pools at the Xilonem Recreational Center.