Geneva, May 14 (SANA) The World Health Organization said Wednesday that the hantavirus strain identified in confirmed cases linked to an outbreak aboard the cruise ship MV Hondius is the Andes variant, which can be transmitted between humans.
According to Agence France-Presse, the U.N. health agency said 11 cases, including three deaths, had been reported as of May 13.
The WHO said eight cases were laboratory-confirmed infections with Andes virus (ANDV), while two others were classified as probable and one remained under investigation pending further testing.
The agency said the outbreak currently carries a fatality rate of 27%, meaning about one in four infected individuals has died.
The WHO added that there is no vaccine or specific treatment currently available for hantavirus, which can cause severe respiratory illness.
Hantavirus is typically transmitted through exposure to rodent saliva, urine or droppings, according to the organization.
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