Hantavirus case in Switzerland

Health authorities in Switzerland have confirmed that a male resident has contracted the Andes strain of hantavirus following a recent cruise to South America.

The patient, who was a passenger on the MV Hondius, is currently being treated in isolation at a Zurich hospital.

This specific strain is of particular concern to epidemiologists because it is one of the few hantaviruses capable of human-to-human transmission.

Officials are now conducting an urgent contact tracing operation to identify anyone who may have been exposed during the patient's return journey, as the virus can have a long incubation period before symptoms appear.