EU Secures Emergency Deliveries of Potential Hantavirus Treatment

EU Launches Emergency Deliveries of Experimental Hantavirus Treatment

The European Commission announced that the first doses of an experimental antiviral drug are being dispatched to France, Spain, and the Netherlands. In the absence of a specific treatment for hantavirus, the European Medicines Agency identified favipiravir as the most plausible candidate.

Favipiravir Shipment and Clinical Use

Fujifilm Pharmaceuticals in Japan donated 1,400 tablets of favipiravir upon request. The drug will be used under clinical trial or compassionate use protocols. The EU is initiating emergency procurement procedures to secure additional doses in case of further cases.

Outbreak Status and Risks

Thirteen people have tested positive for hantavirus linked to a cruise ship. Patients are being treated in the Netherlands, France, Spain, Switzerland, the United States, and South Africa. Rodent-borne hantaviruses can cause up to 100,000 human cases annually and can be deadly. Three people have died in the latest outbreak.