The World Health Organization (WHO) has officially declared the global hantavirus outbreak over.
Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus made the announcement on Thursday, while also drawing attention to other severe health emergencies.
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The outbreak concluded after the last person exposed to hantavirus on the cruise ship MV Hondius completed quarantine and tested negative.
A total of 13 cases were reported across 33 countries, including 12 confirmed infections and three deaths.
No new cases have emerged since May 25, allowing health authorities to close the response effort. More than 650 contacts were monitored during the outbreak.
Ebola and Other Threats
Meanwhile, the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo continues to worsen.
There have been 1,406 confirmed cases and 438 deaths, with an average of 38 new daily cases over the past two weeks.
Uganda has reported no new cases since June 21.
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Dr. Tedros noted challenges such as mistrust and violence.
An Ebola treatment facility in Ituri province was burned down, killing two people and forcing patients to flee.
However, response efforts have improved with ten local laboratories and a new clinical trial for two therapeutics.
In Venezuela, recent earthquakes have killed over 2,300 people, injured 5,000, and displaced nearly 16,000.
The WHO has released $1.5 million from emergency funds and sent six metric tonnes of medical supplies.
Dr. Tedros also warned about air pollution, stating that 6.5 billion people breathe unsafe air, causing 6.7 million premature deaths annually.
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He called for protecting young people in digital environments, emphasizing that online algorithms should prioritize scientific accuracy over engagement.
