Following a number of confirmed cases of hantavirus connected to an outbreak on board the cruise ship MV Hondius, PSI members have provided expert comment across a range of media.
This story may be updated following further developments.
“With these public health measures rigorously in place, the risk of onward transmission to the wider community should be essentially zero.”
Professor Sir Andrew Pollard, Director of the Oxford Vaccine Group and PSI Investigator, provided expert comment to the Science Media Centre, which was carried by a number of outlets including Wales online and the Oxford Mail. He was also interviewed by Radio 4 Today Programme, emphasising: “It’s not like the situation we had with COVID-19 in the pandemic where people could spread even without symptoms, and therefore it was able to spread very easily in the population.”Further coverage followed in the Independent, Metro, The Sun, and Financial Times.
The need for investment in vaccines and treatments
PSI Director Professor Sir Peter Horby was interviewed live on Radio 4 Today Programme (1:15:01 to 1:18:21) where he discussed the authorities’ efforts to prevent the spread of the virus, and the need for investment in vaccines and treatments. Professor Horby also provided expert commentary to the Science Media Centre, explaining that “So far the virus is behaving in a way we know it can.”
What is hantavirus, and why does research into outbreak pathogens matter?
Professor Teresa Lambe, Calleva Head of Vaccine Immunology and PSI Investigator, recorded a short explainer video on hantavirus, which was published on the University of Oxford’s social media channels. Professor Lambe broke down the key facts about hantaviruses, including the different syndromes they can cause in different parts of the world, and considered how global outbreak response measures help contain the spread of disease.