Hantavirus is not something most people in the UK will ever encounter.

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It is usually associated with exposure to infected rodents, particularly through contact with their urine, droppings or saliva. In this case, the virus has been identified as the Andes strain of hantavirus. That matters because, unlike most hantaviruses, Andes virus has been associated with limited person-to-person transmission, usually through close and prolonged contact.

Based on current public health guidance, this does not appear to be a situation that calls for wider public concern. But it does call for precision. The response should be calm, targeted and evidence-led, while recognising that the source and route of exposure are still being investigated.

That uncertainty is one of the hardest parts of infectious disease response. Symptoms may not appear immediately. WHO officials have........

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