How worried should we be about the hantavirus outbreak?
A hantavirus outbreak that began in southern Argentina has spread from tourist hubs into neighbouring countries. Experts have weighed in on the transmission routes and the actual level of risk. UK, US and EU officials recommended six weeks of self-isolation for returning travellers.
The hantavirus outbreak that began in Argentina's Tierra del Fuego has now reached Chile and Uruguay. Health experts say the virus is transmitted mostly through rodent urine and droppings, although limited person-to-person transmission has been observed in the early phase of the current outbreak.
The BBC reported that the disease carries a case-fatality rate of 30 to 40 percent and that symptoms can progress to respiratory failure. UK, US and EU authorities have recommended six weeks of self-isolation for citizens returning from outbreak zones. No specific antiviral therapy is currently available.
Officials are debating whether to cancel events in high-traffic tourist regions. Australia has dispatched repatriation flights for cruise passengers to begin quarantine. Authorities stress that the outbreak is not spreading widely through casual contact, but that hygiene and food-safety precautions remain essential.
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