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https://theconversation.com/the-hantavirus-outbreak-is-the-warning-the-world-needs-to-improve-pandemic-preparedness-282717>
"The latest case of a Canadian passenger testing positive shows the hantavirus
outbreak isn’t over yet. We can probably expect more cases, given the long
incubation period of this infection.
More than 120 passengers from the stricken cruise ship
MV Hondius are now
being monitored in their home regions, including five Australians and a New
Zealander who will remain in quarantine for three weeks in a facility near
Perth.
But while caution is still needed, the outbreak is likely to be contained and
provides a vivid reminder of the importance of a globally coordinated response
to such pandemic threats.
The parallels with the start of the COVID pandemic are obvious. The Andes
hantavirus shares a number of frightening features that have understandably
raised fears across the globe.
It originated from an animal-human spillover, it can spread from person to
person and a cruise ship had an amplifying effect.
Its ability for animal-to-human (zoonotic) transmission from its natural rodent
reservoir to unsuspecting tourists makes the hantavirus an unpredictable
threat.
The animal-human spillover capability has been observed with multiple
hantavirus species that occasionally infect people across the Americas, Europe
and Asia. What distinguishes the Andes virus is its ability for
person-to-person transmission. This is a critical feature needed to start a
pandemic.
Its other alarming characteristics are the extremely high case fatality risk of
21–36% and its long incubation period (median 18 days, range of 7–39 days). The
latter allows cases to disperse widely before becoming ill and requires a
lengthy period of quarantine for contacts."
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
