HELSINKI, May 11 (Xinhua) -- Finland's government on Monday added the disease caused by the Andes virus to its list of hazardous communicable diseases, allowing authorities to impose quarantine measures to prevent any possible spread of the virus.
Finnish Minister of Social Security Sanni Grahn-Laasonen said that the decree amendment is needed to ensure that authorities have the powers required under the Communicable Diseases Act to prevent any possible spread of the disease in the country.
"It is also a precaution in case the situation develops in an unfavorable direction. The current expert assessment is that the risk posed by the virus to the public is very low," she said.
The amendment to Finland's communicable diseases decree was prompted by an Andes virus outbreak aboard the Dutch-flagged cruise ship MV Hondius, which arrived at Tenerife in Spain's Canary Islands on Sunday after sailing in the South Atlantic. Three people have died of the virus outbreak. ■
