Khaberni - A presentation given by the Minister of Health in South Africa to parliament on Wednesday revealed that the country detected two individuals infected with the Andes strain of Hantavirus, which is transmitted between humans, after they disembarked from a cruise ship where the disease had broken out.
The ship (MV Hondius) is preparing to sail from Cape Verde to Europe on Wednesday after the Spanish government allowed it to dock in the Canary Islands.
The presentation stated that tests conducted by the National Institute for Communicable Diseases in South Africa revealed that the Andes strain was responsible for the infection of a Dutch woman who died in Johannesburg, and a British man who is still in the hospital. Both contracted the disease aboard the ship.
The presentation noted, "This is the only strain known to cause transmission from one human to another, but such transmission is very rare... and only occurs due to very close contact."
Other strains of Hantavirus are more commonly transmitted to humans through contact with infected rodents or their urine, feces, or saliva.
