‘Should be fine’: Trump breaks silence on deadly hantavirus outbreak aboard luxury cruise

US President Donald Trump, speaking in Washington, DC, Thursday, said that the US government was keeping a close eye on the dangerous hantavirus outbreak on board the Dutch-owned luxury expedition cruise ship MV Hondius, hoping that the issue was now under control.

President Trump made the comments in an unscheduled visit to the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool in Washington DC, where he had gone to review renovations taking place.

Also Read | 'Invalid, unauthorised by law': US court strikes down Trump’s 10% global tariffs in major setback

"It's very much, we hope, under control," Trump told reporters. "It was the ship, and I think we're going to make a full report about it tomorrow. We have a lot of people. A lot of great people are studying it. It should be fine," he said.

The outbreak of hantavirus on the luxury cruise ship has raised fears internationally after at least three people have lost their lives on the voyage, which traversed the Atlantic Ocean.

Cruise ship outbreak sparks global health concerns

The MV Hondius has remained under close monitoring by health authorities after the rare rodent-borne hantavirus was detected among passengers and crew members.

More than 140 passengers and crew members remain onboard the vessel, which is currently headed toward Spain’s Canary Islands after being allowed to dock for medical assistance.

Health agencies across multiple countries are now tracing passengers who disembarked earlier in the voyage and identifying individuals who may have come into contact with infected travellers. The outbreak reportedly began during the ship’s expedition journey that included parts of the Atlantic and Antarctic regions.

At least five American passengers from the affected cruise have already returned to the United States and are currently being monitored for symptoms, Fox News reported.

WHO says risk to wider public remains low

The hantavirus infection has mostly been known to be contracted through exposure to rats carrying the infection. It has also been said to be difficult to contract from human beings. However, some specific forms have shown to be capable of transferring from human to human to a small degree.

Also Read | 'You can't prepare for a plane': Viral video shows low-flying plane striking truck on busy US highway

The World Health Organization has confirmed that the threat posed to the general population is minimal as it does not easily transfer from human to human.

Doctors are currently monitoring all the patients and personnel on board while coordination for evacuation and emergency medical treatment is underway. This has gained significant media attention because of the unusual extent of the disease outbreak on board such a cruise ship.