The head of the World Health Organization has warned countries to prepare for more hantavirus cases after the outbreak onboard the MV Hondius, and thanked Spain for the “compassion and solidarity” it had shown by taking in the stricken cruise ship and evacuating its passengers and crew.

Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus urged countries to follow the WHO’s advice and recommendations, which include a 42-day quarantine and constant monitoring of high-risk contacts.

“At the moment, there is no sign that we are seeing the start of a larger outbreak, but of course the situation could change and, given the long incubation period of the virus, it’s possible we might see more cases in the coming weeks,” he told a press conference in Madrid on Tuesday.

  • YoureHotCupCake@lemmy.world
    3·
    24 hours ago

    Well yeah I would expect the WHO doctors to take every precaution they can especially because they are the ones studying it. But from my understanding this virus spreads through saliva and small liquid particles that are expelled from talking, coughing, or sneezing. I would think that a mask would help a ton in preventing these liquid particles from entering your system. You would also want to wash your hands frequently too especially before eating.

    • givesomefucks@lemmy.worldEnglish
      12·
      23 hours ago

      But from my understanding this virus spreads through saliva and small liquid particles that are expelled from talking, coughing, or sneezing.

      …

      You mean like COVID?

      Or literally every respiratory infection?

      If a group is all wearing masks, no one is exhaling breath with those droplets, and everyone is safe.

      If only infected people wear a mask, everyone is safe.

      If a single infected person doesn’t wear a mask, they can infect people still wearing masks.

      Rather than try to explain the details, think of your eyeballs, if an infected person breath lands on your eyeballs, how does a mask protect you?

      If the viral load they’re shedding lands on your face, hands, literally anything besides the inside of your nose or mouth, what do you think happens to it?

      Masks work by preventing it from coming out of an infected person’s face holes, it doesn’t magically form a bubble around a healthy person making them immune…

      • SaveTheTuaHawk@lemmy.caEnglish
        4·
        23 hours ago

        Rather than try to explain the details, think of your eyeballs, if an infected person breath lands on your eyeballs, how does a mask protect you?

        I’m not going to counter this stupid self-research argument from 2020, but respiratory viruses only infect cell types with the correct receptors, found in the airway.

        Medical professionals, who know what they are doing and are educated, wear masks. It’s not cosplay.

      • YoureHotCupCake@lemmy.world
        2·
        23 hours ago

        Got it so I will need goggles, a mask, and frequently washing my hands/exposed skin. While this might not be perfect its better than going without.

        I get what you are saying that infected people are the ones that need to wear masks to prevent this from spreading but I do not have control over what other people are doing and can only control what actions I make, and I would like to take precautions if this starts getting worse.