There is no reason for concern about a possible hantavirus case in Cyprus, an infectious diseases specialist said on Tuesday.
Costas Constantinou, from the Infectious Diseases Clinic at the Nicosia General Hospital and member of the Infectious Diseases Surveillance and Control Unit of the Ministry of Health, spoke to CNA in light of the three fatalities and three more cases linked to a suspected hantavirus outbreak on a cruise ship in the Atlantic Ocean.
"No such case has ever been identified or diagnosed (in Cyprus) nor has there been a clinical picture that suggests the disease," he said.
The risk to Cyprus is "zero", he said, noting that there were no passengers from Cyprus on the specific ship. Special control measures at ports or airports are not deemed necessary, he added.
Constantinou pointed out that there is no specific treatment available and treatment is based on early diagnosis and supportive care.
Moreover, he stressed that there is no human-to-human transmission, except in rare cases of a specific South American virus, while transmission occurs mainly through inhalation of aerosols from rodent secretions.
Regarding the cruise ship, he noted that it came from South America while the specific virus has not yet been identified. It is possible, he said, that passengers were exposed during the trip or before their departure.
He pointed out that the Cypriot health system has a response plan for hemorrhagic fevers. The Infections Clinic of the Nicosia General Hospital is ready to manage a possible incident, if it is diagnosed, said Constantinou.
The infenctious diseases expert urged travelers to be informed about the health conditions at their destinations and take the prescribed precautions before their trip.
Source: CNA