The Department of Health (DOH) said that the 38 Filipino crew members aboard a cruise ship with a suspected hantavirus outbreak in Cape Verde are not showing any signs of illness.
In an interview with Bagong Pilipinas Ngayon, Health spokesperson Undersecretary Albert Domingo confirmed that none of the Filipino crew members have reported symptoms.
“Wala kaming naririnig o nababalitaan so far… in close coordination po tayo,” he said.
The DOH issued the statement following reports that three crew members on the ship died due to hantavirus infection, while three others have been infected.
Domingo added that the situation poses no threat to the Philippines, noting that the ship is anchored off the coast of Cape Verde in the Atlantic Ocean, far from the country.
Earlier, the DOH said there have been no recorded cases of hantavirus in the Philippines.
The DOH explained that hantavirus is a rare disease that can be transmitted through contact with the urine or feces of infected rats.
Symptoms include flu-like illness and body pain, similar to leptospirosis and dengue. — Photo from AFP
