EU Rushes Antiviral Supplies To Countries Hit By Hantavirus Outbreak

The European Union has begun emergency distribution of an experimental antiviral drug to several member states following a growing outbreak of hantavirus linked to a cruise ship.

The European Commission confirmed that France, Spain and the Netherlands have started receiving supplies of favipiravir after requesting urgent medical assistance as infections continue to spread.

Health authorities said the antiviral medication was selected after the European Medicines Agency identified it as the most suitable treatment option currently available for hantavirus cases under compassionate use and clinical trial arrangements.

At present, there is no officially approved treatment specifically designed for hantavirus infections.

Japanese pharmaceutical company Fujifilm Pharmaceuticals donated about 1,400 tablets of favipiravir to support the emergency response across affected countries.

European officials also disclosed that efforts were underway to rapidly secure additional supplies of the drug amid concerns that more infections could emerge in the coming weeks.

Authorities have so far confirmed 13 cases connected to a cruise ship believed to be at the centre of the outbreak. Patients are currently being treated in France, Spain and the Netherlands, while additional infections have also been recorded in Switzerland, the United States and South Africa.

Hantaviruses are commonly transmitted through exposure to infected rodents and can cause severe respiratory or kidney-related illnesses in humans. Although human-to-human transmission is considered rare, certain strains can lead to serious complications.

According to the World Health Organization, an estimated 100,000 hantavirus infections occur globally each year.

Officials confirmed that three deaths have been linked to the outbreak so far, prompting intensified monitoring and containment efforts across Europe as health agencies work to prevent further spread of the virus.