The European Union has announced that the first doses of an experimental antiviral drug for the treatment of hantavirus are being sent to France, Spain, and the Netherlands. The announcement was made in a statement released on Thursday (May 28).
As there is currently no specific treatment for hantavirus, the European Medicines Agency has identified an antiviral drug called Favipiravir as a potentially effective option. The drug may be used through clinical trials or emergency authorization.
Japan’s Fujifilm Pharmaceuticals has donated 1,400 tablets of Favipiravir at the request of France, Spain, and the Netherlands.
The European Union also stated that an emergency procurement process has been launched to ensure additional supplies of the drug if new infections are detected in the coming weeks.
So far, 13 people have been identified as infected in an outbreak linked to a cruise ship. Patients are receiving treatment in the Netherlands, France, Spain, Switzerland, the United States, and South Africa.
According to the World Health Organization, around 100,000 people worldwide are infected with hantavirus each year. The virus is spread mainly through rodents.
Although the virus can be deadly, its severity depends on the specific strain. It does not usually spread easily from person to person. Since the beginning of the recent outbreak, three deaths have been reported.
