Cruise ship linked to deadly Hantavirus outbreak arrives off Tenerife as passenger evacuation begins

The cruise ship linked to a deadly Hantavirus outbreak arrived early Sunday off the Spanish island of Tenerife, where the evacuation of passengers is expected to begin.

Passengers will be tested by Spanish health authorities to ensure they are asymptomatic before being transported ashore in small boats, Spanish officials said, according to Reuters.

Evacuation is expected to begin between 7:30 a.m. and 8:30 a.m. local time, with Spanish nationals disembarking first, followed by passengers of other nationalities, Reuters reported.

They are then expected to be taken to the island’s main airport and flown back to their home countries. Multiple Americans are believed to be aboard the MV Hondius.

AMERICANS TO BE EVACUATED FROM HANTAVIRUS CRUISE SHIP AS GLOBAL HEALTH CHIEF TRAVELS TO QUARANTINE ISLAND

Fox News Digital previously reported that the U.S. government is planning to transfer American passengers to a military base in Nebraska for quarantine and monitoring.

The ship set course for Spain on Wednesday from the coast of Cape Verde after the WHO and European Union requested assistance in managing the outbreak.

The ship’s arrival comes hours after World Health Organization Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus arrived on the island.

The WHO said Friday that eight people aboard the ship had fallen ill, including three who died. Six cases have been confirmed, with two others suspected.

HANTAVIRUS DEATHS ON CRUISE SHIP HIGHLIGHT DANGERS OF RODENT-BORNE DISEASE

In a statement Saturday, Ghebreyesus said the public health risk remains low.

"I know you are worried. I know that when you hear the word 'outbreak' and watch a ship sail toward your shores, memories surface that none of us have fully put to rest," he said.

"The pain of 2020 is still real, and I do not dismiss it for a single moment. But I need you to hear me clearly: this is not another COVID-19. The current public health risk from Hantavirus remains low. My colleagues and I have said this unequivocally, and I will say it again to you now," he continued.

ARGENTINA INVESTIGATORS ZERO IN ON POSSIBLE ORIGIN POINT OF HANTAVIRUS IN DEADLY CRUISE OUTBREAK

Ghebreyesus noted that the virus identified aboard the ship is the Andes strain of hantavirus, which can be severe.

"Three people have lost their lives, and our hearts go out to their families," he wrote, reiterating that the public health risk posed by the virus remained low.

About 30 crew members are expected to remain on board as the vessel continues to the Netherlands, where it will be disinfected.

Fox News Digital's Robert McGreevy and Reuters contributed to this report.

from Health News Today on Fox News https://ift.tt/K3rnyJE

Read More

Single workout cuts cravings, offering new hope for smokers trying to quit

If you’re trying to quit smoking, try a brisk walk or bike ride to curb your craving for a cigarette.

Researchers found that just one workout can reduce the urge to light up. But the type of exercise you do and how you do it makes a big difference.

High-intensity, aerobic exercise is most effective at reducing people’s cigarette cravings, a review of 59 randomized controlled trials involving more than 9,000 adults found.

FITNESS EXPERT REVEALS SIMPLE RULE TO GET IN SHAPE WITHOUT DREADING THE GYM: 'JUST MOVE'

"Single-bout exercise reduced acute cravings immediately and up to 30 minutes post-exercise, but not longer-term cravings," the authors of the study, published in the Journal of Sport and Health Science, reported.

The research team highlighted other key findings from their study of "exercise-based interventions for smoking cessation."

TEST YOURSELF WITH OUR LATEST LIFESTYLE QUIZ

Exercise training made people between 15% and 21% more likely to abstain from smoking than those who didn’t exercise, the authors found.

Regular exercise also caused smokers to cut back by an average of two cigarettes per day.

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR LIFESTYLE NEWSLETTER

In addition to being a free and accessible method for reducing smoking, exercise is also effective at reducing anxiety and stress, which drive many people to smoke.  

CLICK HERE FOR MORE LIFESTYLE STORIES

The authors suggest that because exercise boosts feel-good hormones, such as dopamine, and reduces the stress hormone cortisol, smokers who work out feel less inclined to use nicotine as a brain reward.

Exercise should be integrated into other smoking cessation programs to enhance quit success, the authors concluded.

They also noted that none of the trials addressed vaping and recommended that future research target the use of electronic cigarettes.

from Health News Today on Fox News https://ift.tt/qWO5Nha

Read More

Americans to be evacuated from Hantavirus cruise ship as global health chief travels to quarantine island

17 Americans will be among the 150 people evacuated from the M/V Hondius cruise ship after an outbreak of a strain of Hantavirus as the World Health Organization's head tells the public that the trending virus "is not another COVID-19."

The cruise ship, which will anchor off the coast of Spain's Canary Islands on Sunday, will be followed shortly after by Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO).

In a lengthy Saturday morning message posted to X, Ghebreyesus assured the globe that the risk Hantavirus poses to public health remains low.

"I know you are worried. I know that when you hear the word 'outbreak' and watch a ship sail toward your shores, memories surface that none of us have fully put to rest," Ghebreyesus wrote.

"The pain of 2020 is still real, and I do not dismiss it for a single moment. But I need you to hear me clearly: this is not another COVID-19. The current public health risk from Hantavirus remains low. My colleagues and I have said this unequivocally, and I will say it again to you now," he continued.

DR MARC SIEGEL: HANTAVIRUS CRUISE OUTBREAK IS ALARMING BUT FEAR IS SPREADING FASTER THAN FACTS

Ghebreyesus claimed he would be personally visiting Tenerife, the Canary isle where passengers will arrive after evacuating the cruise ship.

"I intend to travel to Tenerife to observe this operation firsthand, to stand alongside the health workers, port staff, and officials who are making it happen, and to personally pay my respects to an island that has responded to a difficult situation with grace, solidarity, and compassion," he wrote.

"Your humanity deserves to be witnessed, not just acknowledged from a distance. As I have said many times: viruses do not care about politics, and they do not respect borders. The best immunity any of us has is solidarity," the WHO head continued.

Despite his assurances, however, Dr. Tedros also warned the public to stay vigilant against the virus which has already claimed three lives on the cruise ship.

"The virus aboard the MV Hondius is the Andes strain of hantavirus. It is serious. Three people have lost their lives, and our hearts go out to their families," he wrote, though again reiterated that public health risk was low.

The U.S. government is planning on further evacuating the American passengers to a military base in Nebraska for quarantine and monitoring, Fox News Digital previously reported.

President Donald Trump weighed in on the outbreak personally, telling reporters Friday, "We have very good people looking at it. It seems to be okay. They know the virus very well. They've worked with it for a long time. They know it very well. Not easy to pass on. So we hope that's true."

"Our American passengers, they're gonna be taken to Nebraska, to a center where they will be monitored. They will be isolated, they'll check their vital signs, their temperature, their oxygen level, their blood pressure," Dr. Janet Nesheiwat, a former Trump-tapped nominee for Surgeon General, told Fox News on Saturday.

"If they start to develop any symptoms, we can intervene early. Because as it is right now, there's no specific treatment for this virus other than supportive care, like oxygen, fluids, hydration, analgesics," she said.

Fox News Digital contacted the WHO and the CDC for further comment but did not immediately receive a response.

Fox News Digital's Brittany Miller contributed to this report.

from Health News Today on Fox News https://ift.tt/51umi4r

Read More

CDC spells out next steps after Americans exposed to hantavirus on cruise ship

The U.S. government is moving to evacuate American passengers from a cruise ship linked to a deadly hantavirus outbreak, with plans to transport them to a military base in Nebraska for quarantine and monitoring, federal health officials said Friday.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said the risk to the American public remains extremely low as officials move forward with a medical repatriation flight for passengers aboard the M/V Hondius.

President Donald Trump said earlier Friday that the situation appears to be under control, pointing to the virus being difficult to transmit.

"We have very good people looking at it. It seems to be okay. They know the virus very well. They've worked with it for a long time. They know it very well. Not easy to pass on. So we hope that's true," he said.

DR MARC SIEGEL: HANTAVIRUS CRUISE OUTBREAK IS ALARMING BUT FEAR IS SPREADING FASTER THAN FACTS

"We seem to have things under very good control. They know that virus very well. It's been around a long time. Not easily transferable, unlike COVID. But we'll see. We have very good people studying it very closely."

The outbreak has escalated over several weeks, beginning with a passenger who became sick in early April and later resulting in at least three deaths, according to the World Health Organization.

Cases are now reported across multiple countries after passengers disembarked in Africa and Europe, prompting health officials to trace contacts globally.

Authorities in Cape Verde at one point blocked passengers from leaving the ship, underscoring concerns about containment.

HANTAVIRUS OUTBREAK TIMELINE HIGHLIGHTS KEY MOMENTS IN DEADLY CRUISE CRISIS

Hantavirus is a rare but potentially deadly disease typically spread through contact with infected rodents or their droppings, according to the CDC. While most strains do not spread between people, health officials say the Andes virus — identified in some cases linked to the cruise ship — is the only known strain capable of limited person-to-person transmission.

The vessel is expected to dock in Spain’s Canary Islands, where international teams are coordinating next steps for passengers and crew.

A CDC team has been deployed to the Canary Islands to assess potential exposure among American passengers and determine monitoring needs.

Returning passengers are expected to be flown on a U.S. government medical repatriation flight to Offutt Air Force Base in Omaha, Nebraska.

They will then be transported to the National Quarantine Center at the University of Nebraska Medical Center for further monitoring.

Additional CDC personnel will be stationed at Offutt Air Force Base to support health assessments.

from Health News Today on Fox News https://ift.tt/TL4tkyR

Read More

Highly contagious norovirus spreads on cruise ship, sickening over 100 passengers and crew

Over 100 people were affected by a norovirus outbreak aboard the Caribbean Princess cruise, according to a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) report released Thursday.

According to the report, 102 of 3,116 passengers (3.3%) and 13 of 1,131 crew members (1.2%) were reported ill, with symptoms including diarrhea and vomiting. The outbreak was reported to the CDC on May 7.

The cruise voyage took place from April 28 to May 11, according to the CDC.

Princess Cruises said a limited number of individuals reported mild gastrointestinal illness during the voyage.

NOROVIRUS SICKENS OVER 200 CRUISE SHIP PASSENGERS ON MONTH-LONG VOYAGE

"Princess Cruises can confirm that a limited number of individuals reported mild gastrointestinal illness during the April 28 Caribbean Princess voyage from Port Everglades," the statement read.

"We quickly disinfected every area of the ship and added extra sanitizing throughout the voyage. Upon arrival to Port Canaveral on May 11, Caribbean Princess will undergo comprehensive cleaning and disinfection before departing for her next voyage," the statement continued.

To mitigate the spread of the virus, Princess Cruises reported to the CDC that the ship increased cleaning and disinfection procedures in line with its outbreak response plan, collected stool specimens for testing, isolated ill passengers and crew, and consulted with the CDC’s Vessel Sanitation Program (VSP) on sanitation measures and case reporting.

CDC REPORTS 21ST CRUISE SHIP NOROVIRUS OUTBREAK THIS YEAR, WITH NEARLY 100 PEOPLE INFECTED

The CDC said its Vessel Sanitation Program is conducting a field response, including an environmental assessment and outbreak investigation, to help control the spread of the illness.

Stewart Chiron, a Miami-based cruise industry expert known as "The Cruise Guy," told Fox News Digital that norovirus is common in the U.S., with millions of cases reported each year, while cases linked to cruise ships make up a small fraction of the total.

He said outbreaks often begin when infected passengers board a ship and unknowingly spread the virus, but cruise lines follow strict sanitation protocols and quickly isolate sick individuals to limit transmission. He added that the reported cases on the Caribbean Princess just exceed the CDC’s 3% threshold used to define an outbreak.

Norovirus is a common cause of gastrointestinal illness on cruise ships. The CDC notes that reported case totals reflect illnesses over the entire voyage and do not mean all passengers were sick at the same time.

from Health News Today on Fox News https://ift.tt/AyYIE9V

Read More

Hantavirus outbreak timeline highlights key moments in deadly cruise crisis

Amid a deadly hantavirus outbreak aboard an Antarctic cruise ship, a timeline shows how the situation unfolded — from the first reported illnesses at sea to ongoing efforts to trace passengers and contain the spread.

The outbreak, which originated aboard the MV Hondius, has been linked to at least three deaths and eight reported cases as of May 8, according to reports citing the World Health Organization.

Below is a timeline of the outbreak, as reported by the Associated Press.

HANTAVIRUS DEATHS ON CRUISE SHIP HIGHLIGHT DANGERS OF RODENT-BORNE DISEASE

April 1

The Dutch vessel, which is operated by Oceanwide Expeditions, departed from Ushuaia, a city in southern Argentina. Planned stops included Antarctica and several remote islands in the South Atlantic Ocean.

April 6

A Dutch male passenger, 70, became ill with fever, headache and mild diarrhea. Prior to boarding, he and his wife had been sightseeing in Ushuaia and traveling through other parts of Argentina and Chile, according to the World Health Organization.

April 11

The Dutch man later developed respiratory distress and died on board. The cause of death was not immediately determined, according to the cruise company.

DR MARC SIEGEL: HANTAVIRUS CRUISE OUTBREAK IS ALARMING BUT FEAR IS SPREADING FASTER THAN FACTS

April 15

Six passengers boarded the cruise during a stop at Tristan da Cunha, a group of remote islands in the South Atlantic Ocean. The Dutch man’s body remained on the ship.

April 24

The man’s body was removed from the vessel at the island of St. Helena. His wife disembarked, along with more than two dozen other passengers. The stop also marked the end of the cruise for some travelers, per AP.

April 25

The Dutch woman, who was experiencing symptoms of illness, rtook a commercial flight from St. Helena to South Africa with 88 passengers and crew members on board.

WHAT IS HANTAVIRUS, THE CAUSE OF GENE HACKMAN’S WIFE’S DEATH?

April 26

The Dutch woman collapsed at an airport in South Africa while attempting to board another flight home and later died.

April 27

After the ship departed St. Helena, a third passenger, a British man, became ill. He was evacuated to South Africa and placed in intensive care with a high fever, shortness of breath and symptoms of pneumonia.

April 28

A German woman became ill on board the MV Hondius as the ship headed toward Cape Verde off Africa’s west coast.

May 2

HANTAVIRUS, CAUSE OF GENE HACKMAN’S WIFE’S DEATH, KILLS THREE IN CALIFORNIA

The German woman died on board nearly a month after the first passenger became ill, marking the third fatality.

The British man being treated in South Africa tested positive for hantavirus.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE HEALTH STORIES

May 3

The World Health Organization announced it is investigating a suspected hantavirus outbreak linked to the cruise ship, which had entered waters off Cape Verde.

May 4

In light of the British man’s positive result, South African health officials conducted a posthumous test and confirmed that the Dutch woman who collapsed at an airport and later died was also infected with hantavirus.

The World Health Organization officially classified the situation as an outbreak.

May 5

Authorities in Cape Verde refused the ship’s requests to evacuate additional sick individuals or allow passengers and crew to disembark, creating a standoff. The country sent health workers to provide assistance on board, but no one was allowed off. Two crew members, including the ship’s doctor, became seriously ill, and another was placed under monitoring.

May 6

The three individuals — two of whom tested positive for hantavirus – were evacuated from the ship and flown to specialized hospitals in Europe. The vessel headed for Spain’s Canary Islands after authorities agreed to receive it.

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR HEALTH NEWSLETTER

Officials in Switzerland later reported another confirmed hantavirus case in a man who had disembarked earlier in St. Helena, bringing the total number of confirmed infections to five.

Health authorities in South Africa and Switzerland identified the circulating strain as the Andes virus, the only hantavirus believed to spread from person to person, which is found in South America.

May 7

Health authorities in Switzerland, Britain, the Netherlands, France, Singapore, South Africa and other countries have isolated former passengers who have already left the ship and are tracing those who may have been in contact with them.

May 8

The ship approached Tenerife in Spain’s Canary Islands, where authorities are organizing an evacuation and repatriation effort involving several countries. Spanish officials say passengers will be screened on board before being quarantined or flown home.

TEST YOURSELF WITH OUR LATEST LIFESTYLE QUIZ

Authorities on Tristan da Cunha said a resident who may have been in contact with cruise passengers has been hospitalized with symptoms.

Additionally, two New Jersey residents who were not on board the ship are being monitored after possible exposure during air travel abroad, according to the New Jersey Department of Health.

from Health News Today on Fox News https://ift.tt/ymSgj6o

Read More

Can wearables detect heart problems early? Doctor breaks down real data

From tracking sleep and steps to monitoring heart rate, temperature and stress levels, wearable devices like smartwatches and rings are growing in popularity as wellness tools.

Fox News' Brian Kilmeade recently used one of these — an Oura ring — to track his metrics from the early morning hours through a demanding work schedule and reported the results live on "Fox & Friends."

"I just got four hours and one minute [of sleep], but I have some REM sleep, 14%, over 20% of deep sleep. Feeling pretty good, I feel pretty fresh," Kilmeade shared during his first early morning update, reviewing the stats from his ring.

HIDDEN SLEEP DANGER COULD INCREASE RISK OF 172 DISEASES, MAJOR STUDY REVEALS

Throughout the day, the wearable tracked his physiological responses to various environments, from the stress of a live television broadcast to the physical exertion of a workout.

Kilmeade observed the data in real time, noting, "You see the stress level spike just a little bit … as I make my way over to radio, my activity is going to pick up."

By the end of his day, which included a trip to West Point and hours spent in a car, the device provided a summary of Kilmeade's activity levels and heart rate stability.

ARTHUR C. BROOKS DISCUSSES HOW TO FIND MEANING AND HAPPINESS IN A TECH-DRIVEN WORLD

Dr. Craig Basman, a New Jersey cardiologist, joined the program to interpret the data and discuss the clinical implications of such technology.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE HEALTH STORIES

Basman immediately addressed Kilmeade’s limited rest. "Well, I don't think you have to be a cardiologist to diagnose him with suboptimal sleep," he said.

However, the doctor highlighted the broader potential of these tools, explaining that "these wearable devices are changing the landscape of cardiology" and that "the future is bright, not just for preventative care ... but also screening and detection of actual cardiovascular pathology."

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR HEALTH NEWSLETTER

The cardiologist urged users to treat the data as a catalyst for lifestyle changes, noting that he wouldn't recommend detection tools unless you’re "going to do something about it."

TEST YOURSELF WITH OUR LATEST LIFESTYLE QUIZ

Regarding the accuracy of the technology, Basman said there is "robust data" to suggest that the numbers are "incredibly accurate" for a lot of the metrics people are viewing, specifically data like resting heart rate and heart rate variability.

He also mentioned that some devices can detect serious conditions like atrial fibrillation, which affects millions and can often go undetected during a standard physical exam.

For younger individuals, wearables can serve as a "great primary prevention tool," according to the doctor, given that plaque can begin to develop in the arteries as early as the 20s and 30s.

For the older population, the devices act more as a "screening tool for actual existing cardiac pathology," he added.

Anyone concerned about wearable health data should consult a doctor for medical guidance.

from Health News Today on Fox News https://ift.tt/fv26TgS

Read More