On Sunday, ‌the ⁠number of confirmed cases ​surpassed ​1,000 ⁠for the ​first time ​since ⁠the outbreak ⁠began.

SNAP-8 represents a truncated fragment engineered to mimic specific domains of SNAP-25, thereby enabling targeted interference with protein-protein interactions that govern vesicular docking and release. Research indicates that such peptides might serve as valuable molecular probes for studying regulated exocytosis, neurotransmitter release analogue systems, and intracellular trafficking pathways.

Rather than functioning as a direct substitute for endogenous proteins, SNAP-8 is believed to operate as a competitive modulator within SNARE-mediated processes. This conceptual positioning has led to increasing interest in its application across multiple research domains, including neurochemical signalling, cellular communication, and membrane biophysics.

Structural characteristics and molecular design

SNAP-8 is composed of eight amino acids designed to replicate a functional motif of SNAP-25. This region is theorised to participate in the formation of the SNARE complex, which typically includes syntaxin, synaptobrevin (VAMP), and SNAP-25 itself. The assembly of this complex is thought to facilitate the close apposition of vesicular and target membranes, ultimately enabling membrane fusion.

The truncated nature of SNAP-8 suggests that it may not fully replicate the structural complexity of the parent protein. However, investigations purport that its minimalistic design might allow for selective interaction with specific SNARE components. This selective binding may disrupt or attenuate the formation of functional SNARE complexes, thereby influencing vesicular release dynamics.

From a biochemical perspective, the peptide is thought to exhibit enhanced stability relative to longer protein fragments due to its reduced structural complexity. Additionally, synthetic modification strategies have been explored to improve its resistance to enzymatic degradation in controlled research environments, although such modifications remain context-dependent.

Interaction with SNARE complex machinery

The SNARE complex represents a highly conserved molecular system responsible for vesicle fusion across diverse cellular contexts. SNAP-25 seems to contribute two α-helical domains that participate in the formation of a four-helix bundle, a structure essential for membrane fusion. SNAP-8, as a fragment derived from this protein, is hypothesised to interact with similar binding interfaces.

Research indicates that SNAP-8 might compete with endogenous SNAP-25 for binding to syntaxin or other SNARE-associated proteins. This competitive interaction may alter the kinetics of SNARE complex assembly, potentially slowing or modulating vesicular fusion events. Such modulation has been of particular interest in experimental systems investigating neurotransmitter-like release mechanisms, even outside classical neuronal contexts.

Implications for neurochemical signalling research

Although SNAP-8 is not a neurotransmitter itself, its interaction with SNARE machinery places it at the intersection of neurochemical signalling research. Vesicular release mechanisms underpin communication in many specialised cellular systems, and peptides that may influence these processes have been hypothesised to provide insight into how signalling precision is achieved.

Investigations suggest that SNAP-8 might be utilised in experimental frameworks to explore how vesicle release frequency, timing, and amplitude are regulated. Studies suggest that by introducing a controlled perturbation into the SNARE system, researchers may observe shifts in signalling patterns that reveal underlying regulatory principles.

Possible applications in cellular communication and secretion models

Beyond neurochemical systems, vesicular trafficking plays a critical role in many forms of cellular communication, including hormone-like secretion, immune signalling analogues, and intracellular transport. SNAP-8 has been explored as a tool to probe these processes in controlled laboratory settings.

Research indicates that the peptide might influence the release of signalling molecules packaged within vesicles, thereby altering communication between cells in research models. This modulation may provide a window into how secretion is coordinated and how disruptions in vesicular dynamics might impact broader system behaviour.

Considerations in experimental contexts

While SNAP-8 appears to offer a range of research applications, its use requires careful consideration of experimental parameters. Research indicates that the peptide’s interaction with SNARE components may vary depending on the composition of the system, the presence of accessory proteins, and the specific conditions under which experiments are conducted.

Research indicates that concentration-dependent dynamics may play a role in determining the extent of SNARE modulation. At different levels, SNAP-8 appears to exert varying degrees of influence on vesicular processes, necessitating precise calibration in experimental design.

Future directions and theoretical perspectives

The continued exploration of SNAP-8 is likely to intersect with advances in structural biology, computational modelling, and high-resolution imaging techniques. These approaches may provide deeper insight into how the peptide interacts with SNARE components at the molecular level.

It has been theorised that future research may focus on refining SNAP-8 analogues with enhanced specificity or altered binding characteristics. Such modifications could expand its utility as a research tool and enable more precise interrogation of vesicular dynamics.

Conclusion

SNAP-8 represents a compelling example of how synthetic peptides may be derived from functional protein domains to serve as targeted modulators in experimental research. By interacting with the SNARE complex, this octapeptide has been theorised to influence vesicular fusion processes, offering insights into the mechanisms that govern intracellular communication. For more useful peptide data, visit Biotech Peptides.

References

[i] Rizo, J., & Xu, J. (2015). The synaptic vesicle release machinery. Annual Review of Biophysics, 44, 339–367. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-biophys-060414-034057

[ii] Chen, Y. A., & Scheller, R. H. (2001). SNARE-mediated membrane fusion. Nature Reviews Molecular Cell Biology, 2(2), 98–106. https://doi.org/10.1038/35052017

[iii] Südhof, T. C., & Rothman, J. E. (2009). Membrane fusion: Grappling with SNARE and SM proteins. Science, 323(5913), 474–477. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1161748

[iv] Südhof, T. C., & Rothman, J. E. (2009). Membrane fusion: Grappling with SNARE and SM proteins. Science, 323(5913), 474–477. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1161748

[v] Jahn, R., & Scheller, R. H. (2006). SNAREs—engines for membrane fusion. Nature Reviews Molecular Cell Biology, 7(9), 631–643. https://doi.org/10.1038/nrm2002

The amount comprises frontline medical ​support for the immediate outbreak ​response, humanitarian assistance in the Great ⁠Lakes region and Uganda, vaccine ​and treatment research for filoviruses, as well ​as longer-term work to improve preparedness and health systems.

The Commission response to the outbreak ​has been coordinated from day one ​with Member States, international bodies and partners.

“Ebola is ‌a ⁠test of our global solidarity. As some turn inward, the EU remains present, engaged, and a reliable partner,” ​Commissioner for ​Crisis ⁠Management Hadja Lahbib said in a statement.

The Commission continues ​to monitor the outbreak closely ​in ⁠cooperation with its partners, though the European Centre for Disease Prevention and ⁠Control ​currently assesses the risk ​to people in Europe as very low.

Hospital officials said a 35-year-old resident of Mohabbat Nagar in Landhi tested positive for the virus and has been admitted to the isolation ward at Sindh Infectious Diseases Hospital (SIDH) near NIPA.

According to the hospital administration, the patient visited the facility on Saturday after developing symptoms associated with mpox. Subsequent testing confirmed the infection through a PCR test.

Officials said the patient has no recent travel history.

With the latest case, the number of mpox patients treated at SIDH NIPA has increased to eight.

The development follows the recent detection of another mpox case in a 40-year-old resident of Gulistan-e-Johar.

Hospital authorities said that the patient also had no recent travel history and was admitted to the isolation ward after a PCR test confirmed the infection.

Health officials are monitoring both patients and have urged residents to seek medical care if they experience symptoms linked to the virus.

What is mpox?

Mpox is a viral disease that spreads through close contact with an infected person, contaminated materials or infected animals.

Common symptoms include fever, swollen lymph nodes and a characteristic skin rash.

The disease gained global attention during the 2022–23 outbreak and remains under surveillance by health authorities worldwide.

According to Shahid Rind, Assistant to the Chief Minister of Balochistan, Chief Minister Mir Sarfraz Bugti has approved the doctor’s treatment abroad and directed authorities to complete the necessary arrangements.

Rind said the Chief Minister’s Secretariat has formally issued a letter to the relevant authorities to initiate the process for overseas treatment.

Dr Mahnoor is currently undergoing treatment at the Aga Khan Hospital in Karachi, where she was shifted earlier this month following the attack. Her treatment is expected to continue for another week before she is sent to the United States for further specialised care.

The provincial government has already begun the required procedures for her transfer and treatment abroad, Rind said, adding that all available resources are being utilised to ensure the doctor receives the best possible medical care.

Dr Mahnoor sustained serious injuries after being attacked with acid at Quetta’s Civil Hospital. Hours after the incident, police said the suspect involved in the attack was killed in an encounter.

The government has reiterated its commitment to supporting the victim’s recovery and providing advanced medical treatment to aid her rehabilitation.

The confirmed Ebola cases include 181 ​deaths, according to the government’s latest situation report.

The data shows that the outbreak, Congo’s ​17th, remains confined to three provinces ​in the east: Ituri, North Kivu and South ‌Kivu.

But ⁠it showed that cases had been confirmed for the first time in the Nia-Nia health zone in ​Ituri and ​the Mabalako ⁠health zone in North Kivu.

There are now confirmed cases ​in 20 of Ituri’s 36 ​health ⁠zones and in 10 of North Kivu’s 34 health zones, as well ⁠as ​in one health ​zone in South Kivu.

The victim never received an anti-rabies vaccine following the bite.

The death brings Sindh’s rabies toll for the current year to 14, according to health authorities.

Medical experts warned that rabies is fatal once symptoms appear, leaving virtually no chance of survival.

They urged citizens to immediately wash any animal bite wound thoroughly with soap and water and seek anti-rabies vaccination without delay.

Health data shows that over 25,000 dog bite cases are reported annually in Karachi alone, while the figure exceeds 100,000 across Sindh.

Shahla Gul Bijarani died after contracting measles, her father Nadeem Bijarani said, adding that despite repeated complaints, no medical team was dispatched by the district health department and no timely treatment was provided.

He said authorities failed to take the matter seriously even after symptoms appeared.

Two more children from the same family — six-year-old Saim Ali and four-year-old Muhammad Usman Bijarani — are also ill with measles. None of the children had been vaccinated, the family said.

The deaths in Kandhkot come on top of more than twelve child fatalities previously reported in the Tangwani area, bringing the broader toll from the outbreak to at least fifteen children.

Residents, civil society representatives and affected families have called on the Sindh government and senior health officials to take immediate notice, hold negligent officials accountable, and launch an emergency vaccination campaign across affected areas.

The family has demanded urgent medical assistance and a swift public health response to prevent further deaths.

The new case in Zavala County was detected on a ranch 5.6 miles from the first positive case ​of screwworm in Texas, which the USDA confirmed on Wednesday.

The infection, which ​the USDA said was in a one-month-old calf, was reported earlier on ⁠Friday by Reuters, citing sources.

The USDA discovered the second infestation “after testing a number ​of suspect cases,” the department’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service said in a press ​release.

APHIS and Texas Animal Health Commission officials are continuing to “collect and test other samples from the surrounding area, which have come back negative,” it said.

Friday’s case and the initial detection in nearby La ​Pryor, a town roughly 30 miles northeast of the US-Mexico border, have ​dealt a setback to US cattle ranchers, who have been preparing for the arrival of the pest ‌as ⁠it has moved north through Mexico over the past year.

Screwworms are parasitic flies that deposit eggs in open wounds or mucous membranes of warm-blooded animals. After hatching, the larvae penetrate living tissue, feeding on the host and potentially causing fatal damage if not ​treated.

An outbreak in ​US border states in ⁠the 1960s devastated wildlife and inflicted heavy financial losses on ranchers.

A widespread resurgence now could pose a significant economic threat in ​Texas, the country’s largest cattle-producing state, through animal deaths as well ​as higher ⁠labour and treatment costs.

To limit the risk, Washington has kept the US-Mexico border closed to live cattle imports for more than a year and has spent millions of dollars ⁠to curb ​the pest’s northward spread, including funding sterile fly ​production, expanding trapping programmes and stepping up livestock monitoring.

US Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins said on Thursday that no other infestations ‌of cattle or other animals have been detected around the confirmed case.

The case in La Pryor, Texas, is a blow to US cattle ranchers who have been bracing for a domestic outbreak of New World screwworm as the fly advanced north through Mexico over the past year.

The US Department of Agriculture broke ground in April on a facility to produce sterile flies, which experts describe as the best tool for combating the pest, ​but it will not come online until late 2027.

The federal agency and Texas officials quickly halted the movement of animals in a 20-km (12.4-mile) area around the case ​and took other steps to prevent the parasite from spreading.

Now, every major road out of La Pryor, Texas, is marked with a blinking ⁠orange road sign urging all vehicles carrying livestock to pull over to a checkpoint staffed with sheriffs and state personnel who inspect the animals for signs of screwworm.

“If we all work ​together and follow these treatment and movement restriction guidelines, there is no reason to believe that this incursion will result in any sort of establishment of the pest on our side ​of the border,” Rollins told reporters on a call.

Rollins earlier told US lawmakers that USDA believed it could contain the case, the first in Texas since 1966, and has also said screwworm is not a food safety threat.

Traders fear wider infestations could further shrink the US cattle herd, which is the smallest in 75 years, and dampen US consumer demand for beef.

Screwworms are parasitic flies whose females lay eggs in open wounds ​and mucous membranes on any warm-blooded animal.

Once the eggs hatch, hundreds of screwworm larvae use their sharp mouths to burrow through living flesh, eventually killing their host if left ​untreated.

“The New World screwworm sounds like something from a horror movie, but it’s real,” said Nate Sheets, a Republican nominee for Texas agriculture commissioner. “It is an agricultural emergency.”

Volatile cattle prices

Feeder cattle futures initially dropped ‌on the Chicago ⁠Mercantile Exchange on Thursday as traders worried the infestation could reduce consumers’ appetite for beef. Futures quickly rallied more than 3%.

The detection threatens Texas’s livestock industry, which could face up to $1.8 billion in estimated economic losses if screwworm spreads widely, experts said.

“We’re going to need to see how fast it spreads and how the consumer reacts,” said Matt Wiegand, commodity broker for FuturesOne. “Until we see a big demand impact from the consumer side, (cattle) numbers are still tight.”

US cattle supplies dwindled after a persistent drought hiked feeding costs and forced ranchers to slash their herds.

​The decline has left meatpackers, such as JBS, ​Cargill and Tyson Foods, struggling to find ⁠enough animals to process in their beef plants.

The Meat Institute, which represents processors, urged the USDA to consider allowing “low-risk” shipments of livestock for slaughter after the agency said it had frozen animal movement in an area around the case.

Such shipments could include animals moving directly to ​slaughter from a farm that is not infested, the institute said.

USDA spent millions of dollars attempting to keep out the pest and ​has blocked imports of Mexican ⁠livestock for more than a year.

US ports of entry will remain closed to Mexican livestock until further notice, Rollins said.

The infestation signals screwworm flies arrived in the US anyway and will expand in wildlife populations, said Lee Haines, an associate research professor of biological sciences at the University of Notre Dame in Indiana.

“The burden falls hardest on farmers who must monitor animals scattered across ⁠vast open rangeland, ​often going unobserved for days at a time,” Haines said.

Screwworms were eradicated from the United States in the ​1960s when researchers began releasing massive numbers of sterilised male screwworm flies that mate with wild female screwworms to produce infertile eggs.

US officials said they were releasing sterile flies on the ground near the case and from the ​sky.

“We are really flooding the zone in this impacted area,” said Dudley Hoskins, a USDA undersecretary.

A case was confirmed in a calf in La Pryor, Texas, a town about 30 miles northeast of the US-Mexico border - a blow ‌to US cattle ranchers who have been bracing for a domestic screwworm outbreak as the pest has advanced north through Mexico over the past year.

USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins said the case, the first in Texas since 1966, was the only confirmed infestation in the country.

The pest could further shrink the US cattle herd, which is at its lowest level in 75 years.

Tight supplies have already reduced beef production and driven prices to record highs for consumers.

The detection also threatens Texas’s livestock industry, which ​could face up to $1.8 billion in estimated economic losses if the pest spreads, and represents a setback for US efforts that cost millions of dollars to keep the pest out, experts ​said.

Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller criticised the USDA for allowing screwworm to reach the US.

“Instead of using every available tool, USDA moved too slowly and relied ⁠solely on a partial solution that takes years to fully implement,” he said.

Rollins said that the release of sterile flies was the most effective tool and that the USDA had invested heavily in production.

Reuters ​reported on Wednesday morning that samples of a suspected screwworm infestation at a ranch in La Pryor had been sent for testing to the federal government’s lab in Ames, Iowa.

Chicago Mercantile Exchange feeder cattle ​futures extended losses, ending 1.7% lower, with traders worried that confirmation of a US case may reduce demand for beef.

Screwworms are parasitic flies whose females lay eggs in open wounds and mucous membranes on any warm-blooded animal.

Once the eggs hatch, hundreds of screwworm larvae use their sharp mouths to burrow through living flesh, eventually killing their host if left untreated.

They mostly spread through the movement of infested animals.

The fly can infest people and pets as well, but the ​risk to humans is low and human cases of screwworm are rare, experts said. The fly poses no food safety issues.

The USDA said it had halted movement of any animals in a 20-km ​area around the site of the detection in a bid to contain the parasite, released sterile screwworm flies in the area, implemented additional wildlife surveillance, and sent a response team to the area.

Rollins also said that a ‌plane was ⁠headed to South Texas with stockpiles of treatments for screwworm.

“Protecting our livestock industry is a national security issue of the utmost importance,” said Dudley Hoskins, a USDA undersecretary.

Impact on cattle supply, beef prices

An extensive outbreak could deal a huge economic blow to ranchers in Texas, the biggest cattle-producing state, through livestock deaths, labour costs and medication expenses.

Washington has kept its border with Mexico closed to livestock imports for more than a year in an effort to prevent the parasite from reaching US border states, spending millions of dollars to slow its advance through Mexico, investing in sterile fly production facilities, expanding trapping efforts and increasing ​livestock surveillance.

Mexico has confirmed 27,449 cases of screwworm ​since November 2024, with 2,094 cases classified ⁠as currently active.

It has also increased livestock inspections and said that a sterile fly production plant in the country’s south, which the US helped fund, would be operating by the end of June.

The US previously imported more than a million cattle from Mexico a year to fatten in feedlots and ​process into beef.

Infestations can be cured, but treatment involves removing hundreds of larvae and thoroughly disinfecting wounds, a time-consuming, pricey and labour-intensive process.

Screwworms ​have been travelling north through ⁠Mexico from Central America, and are endemic in many countries in the Caribbean and South America.

In August, the US said a person who returned from El Salvador became the country’s first human case of travel-associated screwworm, contributing to the current outbreak.

The last outbreak in the US border states in the 1960s decimated the local wildlife population and caused millions of dollars in damage to ranchers.

Screwworms were eradicated from the United States in the 1960s ⁠when researchers began ​releasing massive numbers of sterilised male screwworm flies that mate with wild female screwworms to produce infertile eggs.

A production facility ​for sterile flies is not expected to open in Texas until late 2027.

On Wednesday, the most-active August feeder cattle fell 5.80 cents to finish at 342.625 cents per pound.

August live cattle futures fell 1.8 cents to 237.85 cents per pound. Shares of ​major meatpackers Tyson Foods and JBS also fell.

At least two ‌people have been killed in protests in the central Kenyan town of Nanyuki, home to the Kenyan air force base where the US military is building a 50-bed unit for Americans who might be exposed to the virus, which has infected hundreds in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda.

A US diplomatic cable, part of which was seen by Reuters, said Kenya’s President William Ruto may have underestimated domestic opposition to the plan, which has ​triggered criticism that the US is offloading the risk of caring for its own patients.

A Kenyan court first ordered work on the Ebola facility to be suspended on May ​28, yet US military flights into Nanyuki continued in the days that followed, according to data from flight-tracking service Flightradar24.

The data showed at ⁠least six military aircraft, including C-130 and C-17 transport planes, had landed in Nanyuki since May 24, with three landing after the court order.

The planes have brought in technical ​equipment as well as dozens of physicians, engineers, lab experts and construction workers, but no patients, according to a US official, who asked not to be identified.

The US embassy in ​Nairobi said on Wednesday it was aware of the court action and it was “working with the Kenyan government to resolve any objections”.

Ruto has defended approving the facility, telling reporters on Monday: “We are a responsible government. We know what we are doing.” He did not comment on the court order.

Everyone in, except the patients

Around 20 flights had landed between May 23 and May 31, according to the US official and ​another source with direct knowledge of the matter.

“They have got everything and everyone in, except any patients,” according to the second source.

On Tuesday, a Kenyan court blocked the plan for ​a further three weeks and ordered the government to disclose its agreement with Washington.

But the second source said work was continuing and the facility could be ready by Thursday.

“The US will only stop ‌if the Kenyan ⁠government tells them to stop,” the source added.

The US official said flights were paused on Monday due to “confusion” over the court order and what it means, but the pause was lifted on Wednesday after the Kenyan authorities told US officials that they could proceed with preparations.

Further supplies, including specialised equipment, testing kits and protective gear, would be flown in, they said.

Underestimating opposition to plan

In the cable, sent to Washington on June 2, according to two US officials, the embassy in Nairobi flagged that anger over the Ebola facility came on top of ​pressure on Ruto’s government stemming from rising fuel ​prices and the imminent anniversary of anti-government protests ⁠that killed dozens in 2024.

“In agreeing to host the bio-isolation facility, President Ruto may have underestimated the depth and intensity of public opposition,” the US cable said.

“The continued work on the facility – despite a court injunction halting construction – has further fuelled criticism.“

Ruto said the facility ​was part of a wider plan to prepare Kenya for any Ebola cases and was in line with a long-running health partnership with ​Washington.

The US said ⁠last week it would provide $13.5 million for Kenya’s Ebola preparedness effort.

Quarantine plan

The US State Department said on Wednesday that any US citizen who was at high risk of exposure to Ebola but had not yet shown symptoms could be transported to the facility in Kenya, where they would spend 21 days in quarantine.

Anyone who developed symptoms would then be transported elsewhere for treatment, ⁠it said, ​without giving further details.

Kenyan government officials have repeatedly said the facility would be open to Kenyan nationals, but ​Trump administration officials have said it would prioritise US citizens.

The plan has also met with opposition in the US, where healthcare officials, including former staff from the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, have warned that such measures ​could discourage American frontline responders from deploying to regions affected by outbreaks and undermine global response efforts.

There have been 41 ​deaths and six people ​have recovered, while in Uganda, there have been nine confirmed cases ​and one associated ​death, WHO spokesperson Christian Lindmeier told ‌reporters ⁠in Geneva.

The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention announced the outbreak ​of the ​Bundibugyo ⁠strain of Ebola, Congo’s 17th Ebola ​outbreak, on May 15, ​and ⁠the World Health Organisation swiftly declared it a ⁠public ​health emergency ​of international concern.

“Spain reported a ​new case among the passengers who ⁠are in quarantine, which brings the ​total number of cases to 13,” WHO ​chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said in a post on X.

Among them, three died, but there ​have been no new deaths since ​May 2, Ghebreyesus said.

“The situation remains stable. Passengers who ‌got ⁠sick are receiving needed care, while others remain in quarantine,” Ghebreyesus said.

In the last two weeks, all remaining passengers, ​crew members ​and ⁠medical staff disembarked the MV Hondius luxury liner at the ​centre of the outbreak.

Hantaviruses are ​rodent-borne ⁠viruses that can infect people and cause illness.

The WHO estimates there are ⁠10,000 ​to 100,000 human cases ​globally each year, with severity varying by strain.

Doctors say severe dehydration caused by diarrhoea can become dangerous for children if treatment is delayed, leading to extreme weakness and other medical risks.

According to medical experts, children suffering from diarrhoea should immediately be given low-osmolarity oral rehydration solution (ORS), which contains lower levels of glucose and sodium to help the body absorb water more effectively.

They said the increasing temperatures are contributing to a growing number of dehydration-related illnesses, particularly among children.

Doctors also advised parents to ensure children remain hydrated during the heat and seek medical attention if symptoms worsen.

The new cases ​include a Ugandan ​driver who transported the country’s first confirmed ​case as well ​as a health worker ‌who ⁠was exposed to the virus while taking care of ​the ​same ⁠person, the Health Ministry ​said in a ​statement.

A ⁠Congolese woman was the third ⁠new ​case.

US bans entry

The United States on Friday temporarily banned the entry of lawful permanent residents ​who have been in the Democratic Republic of ‌Congo, Uganda or South Sudan in the previous 21 days, citing concerns over Ebola.

US citizens, nationals and green card holders had ​been exempt from a 30-day Ebola ban, ​but the US CDC said on Friday that ⁠extending the ban to green card holders was necessary ​to stop the virus from entering the country.

“Applying this ​authority to lawful permanent residents for a limited period of time provides a balance between protecting public health and managing emergency ​response resources,” the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention ​said in a statement.

The World Health Organisation on Friday raised to “very ‌high“ ⁠the risk of the rare Bundibugyo strain of Ebola turning into a national outbreak in the DRC and has declared the outbreak there and in Uganda an emergency ​of international ​concern.

The CDC first ⁠issued the order on Monday under Title 42 of the US public health law, ​which allows federal health authorities to prohibit ​migrants from ⁠entering the country to prevent the spread of contagious diseases.

Green card holders have historically been shielded from US ⁠entry ​restrictions.

The CDC’s COVID-era Title 42 ​order did not apply to them, nor did President Donald Trump’s ​various travel bans.

Andrew Giuliani, executive director of ‌the White House Task Force for the World Cup, confirmed to ESPN on Friday that the Congolese delegation needed to maintain a bubble where they are training in Belgium and isolate for 21 days or risk being denied entry ​after a deadly outbreak of the Ebola virus in the central African country.

The Congolese team ​are to be based in Houston at the tournament and will play an opening ⁠Group K fixture against Portugal on June 17, followed by matches against Colombia on June 23 ​in Guadalajara, Mexico, and against Uzbekistan on June 27 in Atlanta.

“We’ve been very clear to Congo that ​they should maintain the integrity of their bubble for 21 days before they can then come to Houston on June 11,” Giuliani said.

“We’ve made it very clear to the Congo government as well that they need to maintain that bubble, ​or they risk not being able to travel to the United States. We cannot be any ​clearer.”

But a team spokesperson said that at this stage there was no change to their schedule in the coming weeks, which ‌includes ⁠a friendly against Denmark in Liege, Belgium, on June 3 and another against Chile in Cadiz, Spain, six days later.

The team had planned a three-day trip to Kinshasa next week as a celebratory send-off before heading to their first World Cup in 52 years but that was cancelled before the US warning.

“We have ​kept our training programme. ​No player in the ⁠squad has come from DR Congo,” the official said.

“The friendly matches are still scheduled. The only modification to the programme has been the cancellation of ​the Kinshasa leg.”

The entire squad of players are based outside the DR Congo, ​mostly in ⁠Europe, including coach Sebastien Desabre.

A few team officials arrived at the training camp in Belgium from the DRC earlier this week.

The World Health Organisation on Friday raised to “very high” the risk of the rare Bundibugyo ⁠strain of ​Ebola turning into a national outbreak in the DRC and ​has declared the outbreak there and in neighbouring Uganda an emergency of international concern.

Nearly 750 suspected cases and 177 suspected deaths ​have been recorded following the outbreak in DRC.

The new deaths bring to 131 the fatalities associated with the outbreak in eastern DRC. There have been 516 suspected cases and 33 confirmed cases in Congo, according to a daily bulletin published by health authorities, and two confirmed cases in neighbouring Uganda.

WHO Director-General ​Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus declared the outbreak of the rare Bundibugyo strain of the virus a public health emergency of ​international concern on Saturday. It has alarmed experts because it was able to spread for weeks undetected across ⁠a densely populated part of Congo.

Butembo, a city of hundreds of thousands of people in Congo’s North Kivu province, recorded its ​first two confirmed cases on Monday, Jean-Jacques Muyembe, director of Congo’s National Institute for Biomedical Research (INRB), told Reuters.

Americans to be evacuated to Germany

Ebola spreads through direct contact with bodily fluids from infected people or animals and causes symptoms that can include high fever, vomiting and internal and external bleeding. According to the WHO, the average fatality rate from Ebola is around 50%, varying from 25% to 90% in past outbreaks.

“I’m deeply ​concerned about the scale and speed of the epidemic,” Tedros told members of the World Health Assembly in Geneva on Tuesday, ​citing the number of cases being reported in urban areas and among healthcare workers.

One American tested positive for Ebola as part of their work in ‌Congo, ⁠the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention said on Monday.

The individual, identified as Dr Peter Stafford by his Christian mission organisation, and six other Americans who were exposed to the virus are being moved to Germany for care and monitoring, the CDC said.

The US State Department said it had mobilised an initial $13 million in foreign assistance for immediate response efforts to the outbreak.

Experts try to develop treatments and vaccines

Unlike with ​the more common Zaire strain ⁠of Ebola, there are no approved virus-specific therapeutics or vaccines for the Bundibugyo strain.

The US is working to develop a monoclonal antibody therapy as a potential treatment, the CDC said on Monday.

A panel ​of experts led by the WHO will also meet on Tuesday to discuss if there ​are any vaccine ⁠options to help tackle the outbreak.

The US officially left the WHO in January in a move President Donald Trump said was motivated by the organisation’s poor management of the COVID-19 pandemic.

An outbreak of the Zaire strain from 2018-2020 in Ituri and North Kivu provinces was the ⁠second deadliest ​on record, killing nearly 2,300 people. The international response then was complicated ​by widespread armed violence in eastern Congo that continues today.

One Ebola case has been confirmed in North Kivu province’s capital, Goma, which was seized by M23 rebels ​last year.

Here is what we know about ​this strain of the Ebola virus, known as Bundibugyo.

What is Bundibugyo Ebola?

The current Ebola outbreak - so far limited to the Democratic Republic of ‌the Congo and Uganda - is due to a rare strain of the virus known as Bundibugyo, named after Uganda’s Bundibugyo province, where it was first identified during an outbreak in 2007-2008. A second Bundibugyo outbreak occurred in 2012 in the DRC.

Bundibugyo kills 30% to 40% of infected people, making it less lethal than the more common Zaire strain, which causes death in up to 90%, according ​to a global study published in 2024.

Bundibugyo is one of the four species in the genus Ebolavirus that cause life-threatening illness in humans. All Ebola viruses are ​transmitted through direct contact with the bodily fluids of infected animals or humans or objects contaminated with such fluids.

Body fluid transmission ⁠is a particular risk for hospital workers. A US doctor working in the DRC has been infected in the current outbreak.

According to the World Health Organisation, ebolaviruses initially cause flu-like symptoms, including fever, fatigue, malaise, muscle pain, headache, and sore throat, that can start suddenly, followed by vomiting and diarrhoea, and eventually by internal and external bleeding and multi-organ failure.

Are there treatments for Bundibugyo?

There are no approved vaccines or drugs for Bundibugyo ebolavirus. Emergency use authorisation would be necessary for the deployment of any experimental treatments or existing treatments that have been effective against other strains.

Potential candidates that have helped to control Bundibugyo in trials in non-human primates include Merck’s Ervebo, Mapp Biopharmaceutical’s MBP 134, and Auro Vaccines’ VesiculoVax.

NanoViricides said its experimental antiviral drug ​NV-387, currently in clinical trials against mpox, could be effective against the Bundibugyo strain. It mimics the immune cell surface proteins to which all ebolaviruses attach themselves ​and could thereby act as a decoy to “soak up” the virus and prevent it from attaching to healthy cells.

Earlier in the pipeline, an mRNA vaccine being developed in China has shown promise ‌against Bundibugyo ⁠in mice but has not yet been tested in primates.

For now, response efforts will rely on public health measures such as rapid case detection, isolation, contact tracing, infection prevention and control, safe burials, and community engagement, said Dr Daniela Manno of the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine in a statement.

“These measures were critical in eventually controlling the 2014–2016 West Africa Ebola epidemic, the largest Ebola outbreak ever recorded, and if implemented rapidly and effectively, they can also help control this outbreak,” Manno said.

Is there a test for Bundibugyo?

Tests for Bundibugyo exist but ​are not widely used. Initial analysis ⁠of samples in the current outbreak using standard tests did not detect the infections.

“Because early tests looked for the wrong strain of Ebola, we got false negatives and lost weeks of response time,” Dr Matthew Kavanagh, director of the Georgetown University Centre for ​Global Health Policy & Politics in Washington, DC, said in a statement.

“By the time the alarm was raised, the virus had ​already moved along major ⁠transport routes and crossed borders,” Kavanagh said.

What makes BundiBugyo different from other strains?

Differences in genetic makeup between Bundibugyo and other ebolaviruses impact its virulence, or infectiousness, its diagnosis, and the availability of medical treatments.

Compared to the Zaire strain, which quickly reproduces itself to reach high levels in the patient’s body, Bundibugyo replicates more slowly.

Bundibugyo is also slower to invade, disable ⁠and kill ​immune cells, eventually crippling the patient’s immune defences.

The incubation periods for the Bundibugyo virus and the Zaire ​virus are nearly identical, averaging 8 to 10 days but sometimes lasting up to three weeks.

A recent study of survivors of the 2007 Bundibugyo outbreak that found persistent symptoms and immune and metabolic alterations nevertheless ​concluded that overall, Bundibugyo may have less severe long-term effects on the liver and kidneys than the Zaire strain.

The campaign in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa will run in 23 selected districts from today until May 24, during which more than 4.6 million children will be administered polio drops.

According to the National Emergency Operations Centre, over 1.65 lakh frontline workers will go door-to-door to administer the polio vaccine.

Authorities have urged parents to cooperate fully with vaccination teams, as each additional dose strengthens children’s immunity.

Children up to the age of five must receive polio drops during this and all future campaigns.

The campaign in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa covers Peshawar, Bannu, Dera Ismail Khan divisions, Abbottabad, Torghar, Kohistan, Kolai-Palas, Bajaur, Lower Dir, Mohmand, Mardan, Nowshera, Khyber, Kohat, Hangu, Kurram, and Karak districts.

In Peshawar and Khyber districts, the campaign will run for seven days, while in other districts it will continue for four days.

The Health Department has deployed 22,450 vaccination teams, supported by over 35,000 security personnel, to ensure the safety of polio workers during the campaign.

Authorities said the drive is a critical step toward strengthening children’s immunity against polio and urged all parents to ensure their children receive the vaccine.

The WHO said the outbreak, caused by the Bundibugyo virus, does not meet the criteria of a pandemic emergency, but that countries sharing land borders with DRC ​are at high risk for further spread.

The UN health agency said in a statement that 80 suspected deaths, ​eight laboratory-confirmed cases and 246 suspected cases had been reported as of Saturday in DRC’s ⁠Ituri province across at least three health zones, including Bunia, Rwampara and Mongbwalu.

International spread documented: WHO

The DRC health ​ministry had said on Friday that 80 people had died in the new outbreak in the eastern province.

The outbreak — ​the 17th in the country since Ebola was first identified there in 1976 — could be much larger, given the high positivity rate of the initial samples and increasing number of suspected cases being reported, the WHO said.

The outbreak is “extraordinary” as there are no approved ​Bundibugyo virus-specific therapeutics or vaccines, unlike for Ebola-zaire strains, it said.

All but one of the country’s previous outbreaks were ​caused by the Zaire strain.

The DRC-Uganda outbreak poses a public health risk to other countries, with some cases of an international spread ‌already ⁠documented, the agency said, advising countries to activate their national disaster and emergency-management mechanisms and undertake cross-border screening and screening at main internal roads.

In Uganda’s capital, Kampala, two apparently unrelated laboratory-confirmed cases, including one death, were reported on Friday and Saturday, from people travelling from the DRC, the WHO said.

A laboratory-confirmed case was also reported in the DRC capital, ​Kinshasa, from a person returning ​from Ituri, the WHO ⁠said.

Bundibugyo virus-disease contacts or cases should not travel internationally, unless as part of a medical evacuation, the WHO said.

The agency advised immediately isolating confirmed cases and monitoring contacts daily, ​with restricted national travel and no international travel until 21 days after exposure.

At the ​same time, the ⁠WHO urged countries not to close their borders or restrict travel and trade out of fear, as this could lead to people and goods making informal border crossings that are not monitored.

The DRC’s dense tropical forests are a natural reservoir ⁠for the ​Ebola virus.

The often-fatal virus, which causes fever, body aches, vomiting and ​diarrhoea, spreads through direct contact with the bodily fluids of infected persons, contaminated materials or persons who have died from the disease, according to ​the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention.

According to reports, cardiac surgeon Dr Zaigham Rasool performed open-heart surgery on patient Chaudhry Saqlain on April 4 at the Faisalabad Institute of Cardiology.

The patient reportedly returned to the hospital nearly three weeks later after suffering severe chest pain. An X-ray conducted on April 23 allegedly revealed that a pair of surgical scissors had been left inside his chest during the earlier operation.

Sources said Dr Zaigham Rasool performed a second surgery the same day to remove the instrument.

An inquiry committee formed over the incident reportedly placed responsibility on two staff nurses, Aqsa Sardar and Nida Arfa. Hospital administration also declared both nurses responsible for the negligence.

According to reports, nurse Aqsa Sardar had assisted Dr Zaigham during the original surgery.

Sources further alleged that the patient’s medical record was later removed from the hospital’s online system.

The incident has raised fresh concerns over patient safety and oversight in Punjab’s public hospitals.

The ship arrived off Tenerife in the Canary Islands on Sunday, carrying 146 people.

Authorities began a two-day evacuation operation, with passengers flown back to their home countries under strict health protocols.

British nationals were among those evacuated and transported on chartered flights to the UK, where they entered quarantine at Arrowe Park Hospital in Merseyside.

Officials said none of the UK passengers was showing symptoms.

Passengers and crew had remained confined to their cabins for several days as health teams monitored the outbreak.

Medical workers in protective gear screened those onboard before allowing them to disembark.

According to authorities, eight additional people became ill during the outbreak.

Hantavirus can initially cause flu-like symptoms and, in severe cases, lead to respiratory failure and death.

French and US officials confirmed that some repatriated passengers were showing mild symptoms or had tested positive for the Andes strain of the virus.

Spanish authorities said the evacuations were carried out in coordination with the World Health Organisation to prevent contact between passengers and the public in Tenerife.

The ship had earlier been denied permission to dock in Cape Verde amid fears of the outbreak spreading further.

Health officials stressed that hantavirus does not spread as easily as COVID-19 and said fears of a new pandemic were unfounded.

However, countries involved in the evacuation are continuing contact tracing and quarantine measures due to the virus’s incubation period, which can last several weeks.

A small number of essential crew members remained onboard the vessel to help sail it to Rotterdam.

“List of Pfizer Covid jab side effects ​includes Hantavirus pulmonary infection!” said a widely shared May 7 post on Facebook, which shared a screenshot of ‌submissions Pfizer filed to the US Food and Drug Administration in 2021 to get a biological license for its vaccine.

The narrative was also shared on X, with one post suggesting the COVID vaccine contained a hantavirus.

The reference to hantavirus pulmonary infection in the Pfizer document is on the fourth page ​of the nine-page appendix, titled “List of Adverse Events of Special Interest”.

However, this is not confirmation that the vaccine ​causes hantavirus pulmonary infection, a spokesperson for Pfizer said in an email. A disclaimer on page 6 ⁠of the document makes a similar point.

The appendix lists any medical event experienced by a person during the study period ​between December 2020, when the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine was first authorised for emergency use, up to February 28, 2021, regardless of whether ​it was related to the vaccine, the spokesperson added. It was compiled using voluntary reports through various national reporting systems, such as the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) in the United States.

Britain granted full marketing authorisation to the Pfizer vaccine in late 2022 after reviewing its safety, efficacy, ​and other information, including a list of adverse events identified as having a causal link with the shot.

These adverse events are published in Pfizer’s product leaflet. Hantavirus is not mentioned.

Hantavirus as a vaccine ingredient

Some hantaviruses cause hantavirus pulmonary infection or syndrome, according to the US National Institutes of Health and the World Health Organisation.

There are no hantaviruses in the ingredient list of the Pfizer COVID vaccine, now called Comirnaty.

According to Pfizer, the Comirnaty shot does not contain live viruses.

As of May 7, an outbreak of hantavirus on a Dutch-flagged cruise ship has killed three people.

South Africa’s health ministry said on May 6 that the Andes strain of hantavirus was identified in two victims ​who had been evacuated from ​the ship to the country.

The ⁠World Health Organisation said in an online factsheet that the Andes strain is the only hantavirus that has seen human-to-human transmission. Transmission remains uncommon and, when it does happen, is associated with “close ​and prolonged contact”, the WHO added.

The US Food and Drug Administration did not respond ​to a request ⁠for comment. An FDA spokesperson said in a previous Reuters fact-check that reports to VAERS post-vaccination “do not necessarily mean that a vaccine caused a health problem”. Anyone can submit a report, regardless of plausibility, added the spokesperson.

Verdict

Misleading. Hantavirus pulmonary infection appeared in a list that ⁠recorded ​any medical event a person experienced during Pfizer’s study period, regardless of whether ​the medical event was caused by the vaccine. Pfizer’s regulatory document lists events that were later found to have a causal effect, and this list ​does not include a hantavirus pulmonary infection.

The ‌passengers, none of whom have displayed signs of infection, will be tested by Spanish health authorities to ensure they remain asymptomatic and then transported to land in small boats, according to ​Spanish officials.

Sealed-off buses will then take the passengers to the Spanish island’s ​main airport about 10 minutes away, where they will board planes ⁠heading to their respective countries.

All passengers on the luxury cruise ship MV Hondius ​are considered high-risk contacts as a precautionary measure, Europe’s public health agency said late on ​Saturday as part of its rapid scientific advice.

The evacuation is expected to begin between 7.30 and 8.30am, according to Spanish authorities.

Spanish nationals are set to disembark first, with other ​nationalities to follow in groups, government officials said on Saturday.

Thirty crew members will ​remain on board and sail to the Netherlands, where the ship will be disinfected.

The ship left ‌for ⁠Spain on Wednesday from the coast of Cape Verde after the World Health Organisation and European Union asked the country to manage the evacuation of passengers after the hantavirus outbreak was detected.

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus arrived on Saturday evening in Tenerife ​in the Canary Islands, ​alongside Spain’s interior ⁠and health ministers and its minister for territorial policy, to coordinate the arrival of the ship.

The WHO said on Friday that eight ​people had fallen ill, including three who died — a Dutch ​couple and ⁠a German national.

Six of these people are confirmed to have contracted the virus, with another two suspected cases, the WHO has said.

Hantavirus is usually spread by rodents ⁠but ​can in rare cases be transmitted person-to-person.

The WHO ​has said the risk to the wider global population is low, but the risk to passengers and crew ​on the ship is moderate.

Two British nationals ​have been ​confirmed as cases of hantavirus, ‌as ⁠part of its monitoring of the deadly outbreak ​on ​a ⁠luxury cruise ship, the UK ​Health Security ​Agency ⁠said in an update on ⁠Friday.

Three people — a Dutch couple and a German national — died in the outbreak on the MV Hondius.

Eight people, including a Swiss citizen, are suspected of having contracted the virus, according to the World Health Organisation.

The Dutch government has said around 40 ​passengers had disembarked the ship in Santa Helena, where the ship made a stop on its way to Cape Verde — before the ​outbreak was reported.

Contact tracing

The whereabouts of many of these passengers is as yet unknown.

One of those to disembark was ⁠the wife of the Dutchman who had died aboard the ship on April 11.

She fell sick herself and died before she could reach the ​Netherlands.

Dutch airline KLM on Wednesday said it had taken the woman off a plane in Johannesburg on April 25 due to her deteriorating medical condition.

According to ​broadcaster RTL, a KLM stewardess who had been in contact with her has now been admitted to a hospital in Amsterdam after showing possible symptoms of a hantavirus infection.

The Dutch health ministry did not mention her job or who she may have been in contact with, but did confirm that a Dutch woman has been admitted to hospital and ​will be tested to determine whether she is infected with the hantavirus.

A spokesperson for KLM said the company could not “discuss individual cases” due to ​privacy concerns.

The virus found in the victims has been confirmed as the Andean strain, which can spread among humans through very close contact.

Experts have stressed ‌that contagion ⁠is very rare and requires very close contact, but the outbreak has put health authorities on high alert.

The United States’ Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said it was closely monitoring the situation with US travellers on board the ship, adding that the risk to the American public was extremely low at the time.

One French citizen has been in contact with a person who had fallen ill but was not currently showing symptoms, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot ​said.

Argentina’s health ministry has said it ​will carry out rodent trapping and ⁠analysis in the southern city of Ushuaia, the origin point of the cruise ship.

Ship heads for Spain

The MV Hondius, with nearly 150 people on board, headed for Spain late on Wednesday and is expected to dock in Spain’s Tenerife, ​in the Canary Islands, on Sunday, the EU’s Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) said.

There is still no one showing ​any hantavirus symptoms ⁠on the ship, the ECDC, which is part of the medical team onboard the Hondius, said, adding that it was working with Spanish authorities to finalise a protocol for disembarkation.

Once in Tenerife, if they are still healthy, all non-Spanish citizens will be repatriated to their countries, while 14 Spanish passengers will be quarantined in ⁠a military ​hospital in Madrid.

Three patients were evacuated from the ship on Wednesday.

One of them has ​been admitted to a hospital in the Netherlands, while another one was transferred to Germany for medical care.

The plane carrying the third patient landed in the Netherlands on Thursday morning, after facing ​a delay due to a problem with the patient’s life support system.

But later that ‌evening, on May 2, Rosmarin posted: “For those who have seen recent news, yes, I am currently onboard the M/V Hondius,” adding that he did not wish to say more, “out of respect for those involved.”

The following day, with his ship marooned off the Cape Verde islands and refused permission to offload its passengers and crew, a visibly distraught Rosmarin said, “What’s happening right now is very real for all of us.”

“We’re not ​just headlines. We’re people with families, with lives, with people waiting for us at home,” he added, his voice trembling as he choked back tears, a ring ​on his ring finger visible in the frame.

“All we want is to feel safe and to get home,” he said.

That was two ⁠days after conveying his excitement at spotting a critically endangered Wilkins’s Finch on Nightingale Island.

Dozens trapped on ship

About 150 people remain stuck on the ship, which had been visiting ​some of the most remote places on Earth, including Tristan da Cunha, an island in the south Atlantic between Argentina and South Africa where Rosmarin filmed the cows.

Three people on board — ​a Dutch couple and a German national — have died, the operator said.

Rosmarin did not immediately respond to a request for comment via text message, but his post was a rare insight into the atmosphere on the M/V Hondius.

The first stricken passenger, the Dutchman, died on April 11 as the ship steamed towards Tristan da Cunha.

His body remained on board until April 24, when it “was disembarked on St ​Helena, with his wife accompanying the repatriation,” the ship’s operator, Oceanwide Expeditions, said in a statement on Monday.

Three days later, the man’s wife also fell sick and later died, while ​another passenger, a Briton, became “seriously ill and was medically evacuated to South Africa,” the company said.

South African authorities have confirmed that the British patient, who is being treated in a Johannesburg hospital, tested ‌positive for ⁠the hantavirus.

The Netherlands has confirmed the virus in the Dutch woman who died.

Cruise goes on as deaths continue

The Hondius left Ushuaia in southern Argentina in March, according to company documentation, on a voyage marketed as an Antarctic nature expedition, with berth prices ranging from 14,000 to 22,000 euros ($16,000-$25,000).

It travelled past mainland Antarctica, the Falklands, South Georgia, Nightingale Island, Tristan, St Helena, and Ascension before reaching Cape Verdean waters on May 3.

On May 1, the ship’s chef Khabir Moraes posted a joyful video of himself and colleagues swimming in the ocean off a rubber ​dinghy, the cruise ship anchored in the ​background.

“The day was pleasant and the depth ⁠was 4,700 metres,” he said, commenting in the video about his colleagues laughing as they hauled him back onto the dinghy.

Moraes did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment sent via text message.

Reuters could not establish if he was aware of the ​deaths before he made his post.

The following day, another passenger died, Oceanwide said in Monday’s statement, adding that the cause had not ​yet been established and ⁠that the passenger was of German nationality.

Oceanwide Expeditions said Cape Verdean health authorities had not yet granted permission for a medical evacuation of the ship and screening of its passengers.

It is now considering sailing on to Las Palmas or Tenerife for this purpose.

Hantavirus is primarily spread by rodents but can be transmitted between people in rare cases, according to the World Health Organisation.

As concern ⁠mounts in South ​Africa, health authorities said there was no need for locals to be concerned about the virus spreading onshore, ​while Cape Verde authorities also put out a statement to calm fears, saying that since the ship has remained at sea, “there is currently no risk to the population on land”.

Netherlands-based Oceanwide Expeditions said in a news release it was “managing a serious medical situation” on a polar expedition ship, the MV Hondius, which was off Cape Verde, an island nation in ​the Atlantic west of Africa.

The cruise departed from Argentina about three weeks ago ​with around 150 passengers and stopped in the Antarctic and other locations on ⁠its way to Cape Verde, according to media reports.

A Dutch Foreign Ministry spokesperson confirmed that ​two Dutch passengers had died, but gave no further details.

The World Health Organisation said in an ​X post that one of the sick passengers was in intensive care in South Africa.

Sky News reported the passenger is British, citing South Africa’s Department of Health.

The WHO said it was investigating the outbreak. Lab tests have ​confirmed hantavirus in one of the six people, the agency said.

Oceanwide Expeditions said Cape Verde ​authorities had not given permission for passengers requiring medical care to disembark, and Dutch authorities were seeking to ‌organise ⁠the repatriation of two symptomatic passengers along with the body of a deceased passenger.

Hantavirus can be spread when droppings and urine of rodents become airborne, such as when people sweep out sheds where mice have been living.

WHO said the virus can be spread between people in rare ​cases.

The illness begins with ​flu-like symptoms and can ⁠lead to heart and lung failure, with around 40% of cases resulting in death, according to the US Centres for Disease Control.

There are ​no specific drugs to treat hantavirus, so treatment focuses on supportive care, ​including putting ⁠patients on ventilators in severe cases.

“WHO is facilitating coordination between member states and the ship’s operators for medical evacuation of two symptomatic passengers, as well as full public health risk assessment and ⁠support to ​the remaining passengers on board,” the WHO said.

The British ​Foreign Office and South Africa’s Department of Health did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

According to the family, the three-year-and-eight-month-old child was admitted with pain in her right leg. However, surgeons reportedly operated on her left leg despite clear instructions in the patient chart.

The child’s father said that when he raised the issue, hospital staff responded rudely and refused to acknowledge the mistake. He also alleged attempts to alter medical records to conceal the error.

The family staged a protest at the hospital and submitted a formal complaint to the Medical Superintendent, demanding a transparent inquiry and strict action against those responsible.

Hospital authorities have yet to issue an official statement on the incident.