health
CDC's acting director says hantavirus is not "a five-alarm fire bell"
Washington — Jay Bhattacharya, the acting director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, defended the federal government's response to the deadly hantavirus outbreak, saying it doesn't make sense to sound "a five-alarm fire bell" because the risk to the public is "much, much lower" than what we saw with the COVID-19 pandemic.
TL;DR
- CDC acting director Jay Bhattacharya stated the hantavirus outbreak does not warrant a "five-alarm fire bell" due to lower public risk compared to COVID-19.
- Bhattacharya highlighted that hantavirus is less transmissible person-to-person than COVID-19.
- The outbreak has been linked to at least three deaths and ten confirmed or suspected cases on the cruise ship MV Hondius.
- Eighteen American passengers from the ship are being monitored in U.S. medical facilities.
- The CDC aims to keep the public aware without causing unnecessary panic.
- Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer criticized past budget cuts to the CDC's Vessel Sanitation Program, questioning the administration's ability to track such outbreaks.
- Bhattacharya defended the CDC's outbreak management team and inspection capabilities.
- The U.S. is prepared for potential disease outbreaks during the upcoming World Cup.