Andorran Ex-Health Minister Urges Calm on Hantavirus Despite High Fatality Risks

Former Andorran Health Minister Joan Martínez Benazet called for "absolute calm" over reports of a hantavirus outbreak, stressing that people should not worry directly about the disease.

Speaking on Wednesday during a news segment on Ràdio Nacional's *Avui serà un bon dia* programme, Benazet distinguished hantavirus from Covid-19. Unlike the coronavirus, he noted, hantavirus has long been known to science, infecting humans for decades and spreading primarily from rodents.

Annual case numbers remain low in the Americas, with just over 100 reported in South America—such as around 100 in Brazil and 120 between Chile and Argentina—and about 30 in North America, across the US and Canada. Higher figures appear elsewhere: roughly 20,000-23,000 cases yearly in China and Russia, and around 3,000 in Europe. However, Benazet pointed out, these Eurasian variants cause less severe illness.

The virus's infectivity rate stands at 1 or below after initial close contact, such as within a household. This limits outbreaks to small clusters that fade out quickly, he explained.

Benazet highlighted lethality as a key concern, far exceeding Covid-19 levels. American strains kill between 30% and 45% of those infected, while European variants range from 1% to 12%, depending on the area.

He raised alarms over global mobility as a risk factor, citing a recent outbreak on a cruise ship carrying passengers from multiple countries. "What should concern us is today's mobility patterns with a virus against which we remain vulnerable," Benazet said.

Despite these points, he urged "absolute tranquillity" for Andorra's population.