Why Experts Are Worried About the U.S. Response to Hantavirus

While it’s unlikely the virus could become a pandemic, health experts say the CDC isn’t doing enough.

Cape Verde Hantavirus Ship

The MV Hondius cruise ship is currently sailing to the Canary Islands for a medical assessment. Misper Apawu/AP

Leading infectious disease researchers are alarmed at the U.S.’s “concerning” response to the hantavirus outbreak that has killed three people who were traveling on a Dutch cruise ship.

“A lot of the things you would like to see, we haven’t seen,” Carlos del Rio, the former president of the Infectious Diseases Society of America, told reporters Thursday morning at a briefing hosted by the organization.

During past international outbreaks, experts from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have played a key role in assisting the World Health Organization. That doesn’t appear to be happening this time, del Rio, whose past organization is not involved in the response, said.