The city’s health commissioner, Dr. Alister Martin, and his team are monitoring developments of the six measles cases detected in the city since the start of the year. He says they’re also keeping a close watch on a rare form of hantavirus, called Andes virus, that has killed three people who were on board a Dutch cruise ship.
“When it comes to hantavirus, measles virus, right now, the risk to New Yorkers remains extremely low,” Dr. Martin told NY1.
What You Need To Know
The city’s health commissioner, Dr. Alister Martin, and his team are monitoring developments of the six measles cases detected in the city since the start of the year
He says they’re also keeping a close watch on a rare form of hantavirus, called Andes virus, that has killed three people who were on board a Dutch cruise ship
Dr. Martin warns New Yorkers the risk here in the city is low and not to panic
In New Jersey, however, that state’s health department says two residents are currently being monitored, but not showing any symptoms, after potential exposure to the virus
His message to New Yorkers? Stay informed, but don’t panic.
“This cluster that we’re talking about today is due to a cluster that was found on a cruise ship that departed Argentina and traveled over to Antarctica,” he said.
As of Friday, the city’s Department of Health and Mental Hygiene said in a post to social media that it had not received notification that anyone from New York City was aboard that ship or been exposed to hantavirus.
The department also says there have been no reported cases of hantavirus in the city since at least 1995, when city health officials began tracking the virus.
In New Jersey, however, that state’s health department says two residents are currently being monitored, but not showing any symptoms, after potential exposure to the virus.
New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill said on social media that the NJ Health Department had “been notified by the CDC that two New Jersey residents were potentially exposed to a person infected with hantavirus after that individual departed from the cruise ship MV Hondius. The residents were not passengers on the ship, and the potential exposure occurred during air travel abroad.
As summer travel season approaches and with the World Cup expected to bring thousands of visitors to the city next month, Dr. Martin advises New Yorkers, regardless if they plan to travel, to stay informed about hantavirus and make sure they are vaccinated against the measles.
“I want to put folks at ease here because they’re probably thinking a lot about COVID,” Dr. Martin said. “They’re probably thinking a lot about flu, and fundamentally, this virus does not act that way. The human-to-human contact of Andes virus can happen, but it’s extremely rare. But it really only happens through prolonged personal contact with an infected person.”
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is currently classifying hantavirus as a Level Three response, with three being the least severe and one being the most.