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North Korea Warns of Hantavirus Risk After Cruise Ship Outbreak Kills 3

North Korea has raised alarm over Hantavirus after an outbreak on a foreign cruise ship killed three passengers. The Rodong Sinmun newspaper reported on the Andes strain outbreak in the Atlantic, echoing Pyongyang's strict COVID-19 response. Two Indian crew members aboard the MV Hondius are safe and asymptomatic, quarantined in the Netherlands. The US CDC issued a Level 3 emergency response, urging public hygiene to minimize infection risk.

Key Points: North Korea Flags Hantavirus Danger in Cruise Ship Outbreak

  • North Korea reports Hantavirus outbreak on cruise ship in Atlantic
  • Three passengers killed by Andes strain of virus
  • Two Indian crew members safe, asymptomatic, quarantined in Netherlands
  • Echoes Pyongyang's strict COVID-19 border closure response
2 min read

North Korea flags Hantavirus danger amid cruise ship outbreak

North Korea raises Hantavirus alarm after an Atlantic cruise ship outbreak kills three. Two Indian crew members are safe and asymptomatic in quarantine.

"raising concerns from the international community - Rodong Sinmun"

Seoul, May 11

North Korea has raised the alarm over the danger posed by the Hantavirus after an outbreak on a foreign cruise ship has killed three passengers, echoing its response to the COVID-19 pandemic years earlier.

The Rodong Simnum, the ruling Workers' Party's official newspaper, reported Monday on the outbreak of the Andes strain of the virus on a ship sailing in the Atlantic Ocean, describing it as "raising concerns from the international community."

The US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention has issued a Level 3 emergency response over the outbreak, activating its emergency operations center, it added.

The paper urged the public to minimize contact with infected rodents, maintain cleanliness at home and in the workplace, and practice good personal hygiene to reduce the risk of infection.

The report followed an earlier dispatch Friday, when it covered the first fatality aboard the MV Hondius, which had departed from Argentina.

The coverage appears intended to alert the public to the potential risk of the virus reaching the country. It echoed Pyongyang's response to COVID-19, when it sealed its borders for years to halt the spread of the virus, Yonhap news agency reported.

At that time, the shutdown effectively halted economic exchanges with its key trading partners, China and Russia, and is believed to have caused significant economic damage.

Meanwhile, the Embassy of India in Madrid, Spain, stated on Sunday that two Indians who were aboard the Hantavirus-hit cruise ship are safe and asymptomatic.

The Dutch-flagged vessel MV Hondius, with around 150 individuals, including two Indian nationals, arrived in Spain on Sunday.

In the context of the Hantavirus outbreak, the ship anchored off the coast of the Canary Islands of Spain. The passengers onboard disembarked from the ship in accordance with the protocol established by the WHO and the Spanish authorities, stated the Embassy.

The two Indian nationals are healthy and asymptomatic. As informed by the Spanish National Centre for Emergency Monitoring and Coordination (CENEM), the two Indian nationals who were travelling as crew members have been evacuated to the Netherlands, where they will be quarantined as per relevant health safety protocol, the embassy noted.

The Embassy also highlighted that the Ambassador is in close contact with the Spanish authorities and the two Indian nationals (crew members) and is regularly monitoring the situation to ensure the well-being and safety of the Indian nationals.

- IANS

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Reader Comments

P
Priya S
Hantavirus is no joke — Andes strain is the deadliest. Good that India's embassy is coordinating with Spain and Netherlands. But honestly, how do these outbreaks keep happening on cruise ships? They're like floating petri dishes. 🙄
V
Vikram M
Respect to North Korea for being vigilant, but their lockdowns hurt their own people economically. India handled COVID better with targeted measures. Glad our two crew members are asymptomatic — Indian consular services have improved a lot. Still, we need better global health tracking for ships.
R
Rohit P
Did anyone else notice how quickly North Korea jumps on any health threat? It's like they're rehearsing for something bigger. But the real story here is why are cruise ships still operating without proper vetting of passengers? Three deaths from a virus that's been known for decades — shameful.
S
Sarah B
This is scary. I've been on two cruises and never thought about Hantavirus. Kudos to the Indian Embassy for swift action — they evacuated crew to Netherlands for quarantine. That's responsible diplomacy. Meanwhile, North Korea's fear-mongering feels excessive but maybe they're right to be cautious.
J
James A
Honestly, North Korea's alarmism is getting old. Hantavirus isn't COVID-19 — it's not airborne human-to-human. The Andes strain is nasty but mostly from rodents. India's approach is better: monitor, protect our nationals, follow WHO protocols. Let's not hype everything into another pandemic. 🙏

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