The Romanian National Institute of Public Health announced on the 18th that a man in the Arad region has been confirmed to be infected with hantavirus. The strain is unique to Romania and Europe and is unrelated to the "Hondius" cruise ship outbreak.
The Arad Public Health Bureau stated that serological tests indicated this case is a chronic infection. The man may have been infected during a hospital stay at a psychiatric hospital. This strain is not transmitted person-to-person, but only from rodents to humans.
The Arad Public Health Bureau also reported that the patient is receiving medical supervision, is in stable health condition, and is conscious.
Unrelated Fatal Case in the US
According to US media reports on the 18th, a locally acquired fatal hantavirus infection recently detected in Colorado is also unrelated to the "Hondius" cruise ship outbreak.
The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment previously issued a statement indicating that the fatal case involved an adult resident of Douglas County. Preliminary investigations suggest the infection may be linked to contact with local rodents.
The statement said hantavirus cases caused by the “Sin Nombre virus” are frequently identified in Colorado during the spring and summer. In Colorado, the deer mouse is the most common rodent responsible for transmitting the virus to humans.
Recently, a cluster infection caused by Andes virus broke out aboard the "Hondius" cruise ship while sailing in the Atlantic, drawing international attention. The Andes virus and “Sin Nombre virus” both belong to the hantavirus family but are different strains.