08.05.2026 15:52
The Ministry of Health has issued a statement regarding the hantavirus that caused the deaths of three people on the MV Hondius ship, which also carried three Turkish passengers. The statement said, "No hantavirus cases have been detected in our country so far." Meanwhile, the ministry warned that only statements made by official authorities should be taken into account.
The Hantavirus outbreak on the MV Hondius cruise ship, which has put the World Health Organization on alert and resulted in 3 deaths, has also become a topic of discussion in Turkey. While citizens were gripped by the fear of 'a new epidemic coming,' the statement from the Ministry of Health brought relief.
'NO HANTAVIRUS CASES IN OUR COUNTRY'
In a statement from the Ministry, it was noted that no Hantavirus cases have been detected in Turkey, with the following expressions:
'The process regarding the Hantavirus cases reflected in the public is being meticulously followed by our Ministry in accordance with scientific principles.
No positive cases have been detected in our country yet. It is important for our citizens to only take into account the statements made by official authorities and to be cautious against unverified information circulating in the public.
Our Ministry continues its screening, prevention, control, and monitoring activities against all kinds of infectious diseases that could threaten public health, uninterruptedly with all relevant units.'
147 PEOPLE FROM 23 DIFFERENT NATIONALITIES ON THE SHIP AFFECTED BY THE VIRUS
Virginia Barcones, General Secretary of Civil and Emergency Situations of the Spanish Ministry of the Interior, also shared the information that passengers and crew from 23 different nationalities on the 'MV Hondius' ship were affected by the Hantavirus.
On the ship, there are a total of 147 people: 38 from the Philippines (all crew), 23 from the UK, 17 from the USA, 14 from Spain, 11 from the Netherlands, 8 from Germany, 5 each from France and Ukraine, 4 each from Canada and Australia, 3 from Turkey, 2 each from India, Belgium, and Ireland, and 1 each from Greece, Poland, Portugal, Montenegro, Japan, New Zealand, Russia, Argentina, and Guatemala.
From Turkey, influencer Ruhi Çenet, birdwatcher and photographer Emin Yoğurtçuoğlu, and his wife Melike Güner were on board. Ruhi Çenet said he got off the ship after 24 days and did not complete the journey. Yoğurtçuoğlu and his wife are still on the ship.
ABOUT HANTAVIRUS
Hantavirus is known as a disease mostly transmitted from rodents.
The virus, transmitted by inhaling air mixed with dried feces, urine, and saliva of rodents, or sometimes through rodent bites or scratches, shows symptoms such as fever, fatigue, and muscle pain.
The virus, which can also cause respiratory failure, in some cases progresses with internal bleeding and kidney failure.
'INCUBATION PERIOD CAN BE UP TO 6 WEEKS'
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus warned the world public about the risk of new cases emerging, stating that the incubation period of the 'Andes' type Hantavirus could extend up to 6 weeks.