Having visited the Philippines quite a few times, I have never heard of or come across news of the Hantavirus, although I have seen rats as big as cats. Has anybody heard of this virus and has it ever caused problems to the population? We are being told that it is very unusual for it to transmit from humans to humans. I'm sure by now you will of heard of the Cruise ship at the centre of the present outbreak in which three people have died so far with many also being treated in isolation in a number of countries depending on their nationality. News today that 22 Brits onboard the stricken ship will be flown back to UK from the Canary islands and placed into isolation, guess where, on my doorstep once again, after the same thing happened over the Covid 19, when people were brought here from China! Wirral Arrowe Park Hospital my local hospital will house them in what is usually the Staff accommodation block! Question being....Have they played down this virus like they did Covid? It beggars belief why this part of the UK should be chosen once again. Wirral peninsula is a beautiful part of North West England, even many British dont know about its white sandy beaches, bird sanctuaries and cycle and walk paths Only weeks ago we were told of a intended pipeline from the Peak District to be buried under Wirral with a storage facility to catch CO2 Emissions from Cement and Lime production 121 miles away, to be deposited under the Irish Sea! Over 14000 signatures already have opposed to what could well be an environmental disaster if a leak was to appear! Why Wirral?.......Just another thought JB ( Correction edited underlined)
It's actually the opposite JB: It is USUAL to cross from rats to humans (via the rats' excretions such as urine, faeces, saliva) but VERY RARE to cross from humans to humans. There are reports that it has done so on the cruise ship, but with such a long incubation period (can be from 1 to 8 weeks), that may be difficult to be sure at this stage. It has two main areas of concern: Pulmonary (lungs) and Renal (kidneys). The former is the most lethal with about 35% of infected people dying. The late Gene Hackman's wife died of a hantavirus infection and her outhouses were found to be rat-infested. A high fatality rate often means the virus spreads very slowly - but should it become commonly contagious from human to human and at a fast rate, then that is the time we should be worried. But not now (famous last words!). Cruise ships are famous for Norovirus infections - I've had it (many of you will have also) and its terrible.
Sorry, yes it is rare to pass from human to human. It has now been confirmed its type is "Andes Strain" A British Army Medics team have been Parachuted on to the island of Tristan da Cunha. where a person who spent time on board the ship is reported to have Hantavirus. The island having only 200+ population, they brought medical supplies with them, the island can only be accessible by boat normally. I think there will be more on this story to come.
Apparently there are some concerns regarding this outbreak; the person to person transfer (some level of contagiousness) especially of course. Hopefully the entire thing will die down in 6 weeks or so (end of the incubation period for those that travelled on that ship) without any further cases from those people or their contacts. I am reasonably convinced that this is not the start of a new pandemic, but I don't like that the experts are rather quiet about the manner of person to person transfer. I'm reading "close contact" is required for that to occur, but I also read that both a passenger and a stewardess on the plane from South Africa to the Netherlands that was briefly boarded by the Dutch lady (but she exited the plane again before takeoff) who later died in a S.A. hospital. Those two people apparently tested negative after developing hantavirus type symptoms, but that could also mean faulty testing. Moreover, around 30 people left the ship in St Helena besides the Dutch lady and her deceased husband; at the time it was unknown that the guy died of Hantavirus. Those people travelled home (most likely first to S.A.) unchecked. That means that if the "close contact" requirement for transfer is not true that a lot of people have already come in contact with the virus.
