Risk of Hantavirus Spread in Japan Low: Health Ministry

Tokyo, May 7 (Jiji Press)--The risk of hantavirus spreading in Japan through person-to-person transmission is low, even if infected passengers from a cruise ship linked to a recent outbreak enter the country, the health ministry said Wednesday.

The ministry called on the public to remain calm, after three people died in a suspected hantavirus outbreak on the cruise ship in the Atlantic Ocean. A Japanese national is among passengers on the ship.

Hantaviruses are transmitted mainly through the excreta of infected rodents. Once infected, the virus can cause symptoms including fever and cough, and has a mortality rate of around 40 to 50 pct, according to the ministry.

Person-to-person transmission has been reported only for some viruses and there have been no confirmed hantavirus cases in Japan, the ministry said.

The ministry is warning travelers at quarantine stations of the virus and asking those experiencing unusual health conditions to check for any past contact with rodents and seek medical attention as necessary.

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]