May 19 Crucial date for detecting global spread of deadly hantavirus

The global medical community is watching cautiously for May 19, which may reveal how far the deadly Hantavirus has spread beyond the passengers of the cruise ship MV Hondios. This date is based on accurate scientific calculations related to the incubation period of the virus and the possibility of the emergence of the so-called"third generation" of infections. According to Dr. Stephen Kwai, second-generation infections took an average of 22 days to Its symptoms appear, which means that the continuation of this rate may lead to the emergence of new infections as of the date mentioned. These infections will be among people who have been in contact with the ship's passengers who left on April 24 before the outbreak was officially detected. Confirmed cases have so far recorded the deaths of three people, starting with the 70-year-old Dutchman Leo Shelberward, considered “patient zero,” as well as his wife Miriam and a German woman. Two of them tested positive. The virus, with a total of 10 cases recorded, including 9 suspected human-to-human transmission. Concerns have recently increased after a contact of a potential patient in the Brittany region of northwestern France was hospitalized for additional testing. The mayor of Concarno confirmed that the situation was quickly contained and that it did not require panic, explaining that the case was only a contact with an infected person. It is noteworthy that the Hantavirus of the Andes strain is the only one capable of transmitting between In humans, symptoms include fever, shortness of breath, extreme fatigue, and muscle pain. Despite the warnings, experts confirm that the risk of the virus to the general public remains low, as its transmission requires close and direct contact that differs from the mechanisms of the spread of the Corona virus.