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Hantavirus spreads with prolonged close contact not like Covid says Soumya Swaminathan on cruise outbreak

India
Published on 9 May 2026
Hantavirus spreads with prolonged close contact not like Covid says Soumya Swaminathan on cruise outbreak

Six to eight weeks means isolation could stop it early

Soumya Swaminathan, former WHO chief scientist, says the hantavirus outbreak aboard a cruise ship can be contained. She notes the virus needs prolonged close contact to spread, unlike COVID-19, and has a long incubation period of six to eight weeks. That makes isolating passengers early and testing symptomatic cases a key strategy to halt further transmission.

  • Hantavirus transmission needs prolonged close contact
  • Incubation period lasts about six to eight weeks
  • Early isolation on the ship is critical
  • Testing symptomatic individuals can curb spread
Read the full story at The Economic Times

This summarization was done by Beige for a story published on The Economic TimesThe Economic Times

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