00:00By the way, as part of the passengers, we have around 17 Americans, and coming to your question, we have
00:11been repeating the same question, the same answer many times.
00:16This is not another COVID, and the risk to the public is low.
00:40A deadly virus outbreak on a luxury cruise ship is now triggering a major international health emergency.
00:47The latest update coming from U.S. health officials confirms that one American passenger evacuated from the MV Hondias cruise
00:55ship has tested mildly positive for the deadly Andy strain of hantovitis.
01:01Another U.S. citizen is also showing mild symptoms and is currently being monitored closely.
01:06By the way, as part of the passengers, we have around 17 Americans, and coming to your question, we have
01:18been repeating the same question, the same answer many times.
01:23This is not another COVID, and the risk to the public is low.
01:32The two passengers are now being flown back to the United States inside special biocontainment units designed to prevent any
01:40possible spread during transport.
01:43And this is where global concern is rapidly growing.
01:47The outbreak on board the MV Hondias has already resulted in multiple infections and at least three deaths linked to
01:54the virus.
01:55According to the World's Health Organization, six confirmed cases of the Andes strain have already been detected among passengers who
02:03are no longer on the ship.
02:05A Dutch couple and one German national have died.
02:08The cruise ship, carrying nearly 150 passengers and crew, is currently anchored near Tenerife in Spain's Canary Islands under strict
02:17international health protocols.
02:19Authorities from Spain, France, the United States, Australia, Canada, the U.K., and several other countries have launched coordinated evacuation
02:28missions to bring citizens home safely.
02:32But what makes this outbreak especially alarming is the specific strain involved.
02:38The Andes strain of Hantavirus is extremely rare, and according to the WHO, it is the only known Hantavirus capable
02:45of human-to-human transmission.
02:47Health experts say the virus can cause severe lung infections, and in some cases, the fatality rate may reach up
02:55to 50 percent.
02:57However, officials are also stressing that this is not another COVID-style situation.
03:02WHO officials say the overall risk of widespread transmission remains low, but passengers and crew will still undergo strict monitoring
03:11and quarantine measures.
03:12Dr. Maria van Kerkhoen from the WHO has recommended active daily health checks and a 42-day quarantine period because
03:21the virus can incubate for as long as six weeks.
03:25Meanwhile, France has already confirmed that one evacuated passenger tested positive after developing symptoms in Paris.
03:32The United States says all evacuated passengers will undergo clinical assessment at special pathogen treatment centers, including the University of
03:41Nebraska Medical Center.
03:43And there is also an India connection to this story.
03:47Two Indian crew members on board the infected cruise ship have been confirmed healthy and asymptomatic by the Indian embassy
03:54in Madrid.
03:54As evacuation flights continue from Tenerife, health agencies around the world are now racing against time to ensure the virus
04:03does not spread beyond isolated cases.
04:05For now, officials insist the situation is under control.
04:09But the outbreak on board one cruise ship has already become a global health scare, raising serious questions about disease
04:17containment during international travel in 2026.
04:20For now, officials insist the situation is under control.
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