Former Health Minister Karl Lauterbach stated that there is currently no danger of a Hantavirus pandemic. Speaking to the “Rheinische Post” he advised that the situation is not perilous for the German population. According to Lauterbach, a widespread pandemic is unlikely because the virus’s transmissibility is not sufficient for such a threat. While the chairman of the Bundestag research committee conceded that individual cases will persist, he emphasized that a rapid spread cannot be expected.
The discussion follows a recent incident involving the cruise ship “Hondius” which was affected by the Hantavirus. The vessel had arrived off the coast of Tenerife. Passengers, including several German nationals, were subsequently transported to a nearby airport under strict safety precautions and immediately flown back to their respective home countries.
