How can we limit the risks of contamination?
Health authorities are reminding people of several simple steps to reduce the risks:
- avoid dry sweeping enclosed spaces that have been left unventilated for a long time;
- wear a mask and gloves when cleaning barns or cabins;
- Dampen the surfaces before cleaning;
- avoid direct contact with dead rodents or their excrement;
- to keep food safe from pests.
In the forested and rural areas of the northeast, these recommendations remain particularly important for people regularly exposed to enclosed buildings or agricultural activities.
Should we fear a pandemic?
At this stage, experts are reassuring. Unlike Covid-19, hantavirus is very difficult to transmit between humans in the vast majority of cases. Infections remain primarily linked to contact with infected rodents.
Health authorities are nevertheless continuing to monitor the situation closely in order to precisely identify the strain involved in the deaths that occurred on board the cruise ship.
