Slovakia's Hantavirus Outbreak Appears Contained After 12 Cases and 3 Deaths

A hantavirus outbreak in Slovakia appears to have been brought under control, with no new cases reported since the end of May. The virus infected 12 people in total, three of whom died. Hantavirus is a rodent-borne infectious disease that can cause severe respiratory illness and organ failure in humans. It is typically transmitted through contact with infected rodents or their droppings, and does not spread easily between people, which helps limit the scale of outbreaks. The halt in new cases suggests the immediate public health threat has passed, though health authorities continue to monitor the situation.