The number of confirmed Hantavirus cases tied to an outbreak on the luxury cruise ship MV Hondius has climbed to 13, according to World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
In a social media update on Wednesday, Ghebreyesus revealed that health authorities in Spain detected the latest infection in a passenger who was already undergoing isolation.
“Spain reported a new case among the passengers who are in quarantine, which brings the total number of cases to 13,” he said.
The outbreak has claimed three lives so far, though the WHO chief noted that no new fatalities have been reported since May 2.
“The situation remains stable. Passengers who got sick are receiving needed care, while others remain in quarantine,” Ghebreyesus said.
The update comes after a fortnight of containment efforts, during which all remaining travelers, ship crew, and medical staff were successfully evacuated from the MV Hondius, which served as the epicenter of the illness.
Hantaviruses are a group of viruses predominantly transmitted by rodents that can lead to severe and potentially fatal respiratory or hemorrhagic illnesses in humans.
The WHO estimates that between 10,000 and 100,000 human infections happen globally each year, with mortality rates varying heavily based on the specific viral strain.