•France’s President Emmanuel Macron
French President Emmanuel Macron said yesterday that the government had the hantavirus situation “under control”, after a rare outbreak on a cruise ship sparked a global health scare.
The virus was detected on board the MV Hondius, where three people died after being infected with the virus that usually spreads among rodents, reports AFP.
French officials said one woman who tested positive was hospitalised and in stable condition in intensive care.
Speaking at a press conference in Nairobi, Macron said France had put in place “extremely rigorous protocols” based on expert advice and called for strong European coordination with the World Health Organisation.
He stressed the government had “taken the right decisions, the situation is under control under its authority, thanks to our healthcare workers”.
The president also encouraged “mobilisation, vigilance and high standards”, while warning against comparisons with Covid-19, saying this was “a known virus” and different from the pathogen that caused a worldwide pandemic.
Earlier, Health Minister Stephanie Rist said there was no widespread circulation in France of the Andes strain of hantavirus, which is transmissible between humans and has no vaccine or treatment.
