health
Stopping Human-to-Human Transmission: Key to Preventing Andean Hantavirus Evolution
Stopping human-to-human transmission is key to preventing the Andean hantavirus from evolving and adapting to infect the human body more easily, warned French expert Serge Morand, a leading global authority in health ecology and zoonoses, to EFE. "We must continue to isolate when there are suspicions and control all contact cases," explained Morand, research director at France's National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS).
TL;DR
- Stopping human-to-human transmission is key to preventing Andean hantavirus evolution.
- Isolation and contact tracing are recommended measures.
- The virus is transmitted by rodents and can become airborne.
- Increased human-to-human transmission could lead to viral evolution, potentially increasing contagiousness.
- The Andean hantavirus has a higher fatality rate (30-40%) than COVID-19 and is compared to Ebola or SARS.
- A recent outbreak on the cruise ship MV Hondius in Argentina resulted in three deaths.