Israel has confirmed its first hantavirus diagnosis, Israeli media reports. The patient, infected with a European strain during an Eastern Europe trip months ago, sought care after symptoms emerged. Antibody and PCR tests verified the virus. Stable and under observation, the case was reported to the Health Ministry, no isolation required.
This differs sharply from the deadly Andes strain outbreak on MV Hondius. The cruise ship, carrying 147 passengers and crew from 23 nations, left Ushuaia, Argentina, on April 1, traversing Antarctica and remote Atlantic islands. Severe respiratory illnesses struck, leading to anchorage off Cape Verde. Passengers remain confined aboard.
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Tragically, three have died: a Dutch couple and a German national. Eight confirmed or suspected cases include a Swiss hospitalized in Zurich. Unlike most hantaviruses – spread via rodent contact, the Andes variant allows rare person-to-person transmission, fueling global passenger tracing.
Israel saw similar scares a decade ago from South American travel. Experts stress prevention: avoid rodent areas, use protection in endemic zones.
What is Hantavirus?
Rodent-borne virus causing fever, aches, and potentially fatal lung syndrome. European strains like this one rarely spread human-to-human.
(This story has been published from a syndicated feed)
