WINDHOEK, May 8 (Xinhua) -- Namibia on Friday reassured its citizens and the international community of its preparedness following a fatal hantavirus outbreak linked to a cruise ship traveling across the South Atlantic.
The country has not recorded any case of hantavirus, Penda Ithindi, executive director of Namibia's Ministry of Health and Social Services, said in a statement.
"We have not reported any case of hantavirus in Namibia. We are closely monitoring the global and regional situation and are taking all necessary precautions," Ithindi said.
Namibia's public health system is equipped to detect, investigate and respond to potential public health emergencies, including outbreaks, he said.
The statement came after the World Health Organization (WHO) reported a cluster of severe respiratory illness linked to the cruise ship MV Hondius, which traveled across the South Atlantic after departing from Ushuaia, Argentina, on April 1.
According to a WHO update on Thursday, eight cases have been reported so far, including three deaths. Five of the eight cases have been confirmed as hantavirus.
The WHO said the virus involved is the Andes virus, a species of hantavirus known to be capable of limited human-to-human transmission linked to close and prolonged contact.
Although no case has been detected in Namibia, the country has two main ports that accommodate cruise ships, Walvis Bay and Luderitz, which serve as key maritime gateways for international travelers.
Ithindi urged the public to avoid spreading unverified information or engaging in speculation that could cause undue alarm.
Hantaviruses are a group of viruses mainly carried by rodents. Human infection usually occurs through contact with infected rodents or their urine, droppings or saliva, and can cause severe illness and death. ■
