WHO declares Hantavirus outbreak linked to cruise ship is over

On Thursday, the WHO said more than 650 contacts had been identified and followed up by authorities in 33 countries and territories.

It said it would continue to work with governments and partners to advance its understanding of the outbreak and of hantavirus generally.

WHO medical officer Dr Diana Rojas Alverez, speaking at a briefing, said: “Andes virus and other hantaviruses are still a public health risk for South America, and some other endemic areas…

“What we need to continue doing is to keep monitoring this virus, keep preparing for further spread.”

Hantavirus typically spreads from rodents, with people infected by breathing in air contaminated with virus particles from rodent urine, droppings or saliva.

Symptoms can include fever, extreme fatigue, muscle aches, stomach pain, vomiting, diarrhoea and shortness of breath.

They usually appear between two to four weeks after being exposed to the virus, but can occur more than a month later, which is why the recommended isolation period for the passengers was so long.

Passengers, who were not medically evacuated, disembarked in Tenerife, Spain, in May before they were flown home.