The World Health Organization is meeting on Monday after several recent disease outbreaks stirred health concerns in the international community.Hantavirus and Ebola will likely be among the top matters of discussion as leaders gather in Geneva this week. The U.S. is not among the member states assembling for WHO’s annual meeting, as President Donald Trump officially pulled Washington out of the organization in January, citing concerns over its handling of COVID-19, among other issues.The WHO reported on May 13 that there are a total of 11 cases of hantavirus, including in France and Spain. Officials believe that the latest outbreak of disease, tied to rodents, originated earlier this month on the Dutch-owned cruise ship MV Hondius.
Authorities have sought to reassure the public that the virus is not comparable to highly contagious strains of COVID-19. Three deaths have been linked to the international Andes virus outbreak, none of them U.S. citizens.
Eighteen passengers on the vessel that were exposed to the virus were flown to the U.S. for quarantine, and one initially tested positive. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Thursday that there are now no cases of hantavirus in the U.S., though it is monitoring 41 people for symptoms. The virus impact has continued, however, as Ottawa revealed Sunday that one of four Canadians who returned from a cruise ship had tested positive.
