Dr. Adrian Marinescu, medical director of the "Matei Balș" Institute: "Hantavirus is not a major threat to public health"

The medical director of the 'Matei Balș' Institute, Dr. Adrian Marinescu, stated that hantavirus is not deadly and does not pose a major public health problem, despite a suspicion of infection in a young man from the west of the country. Although most cases resemble flu, with symptoms such as fever and muscle aches, severe forms are rare but can affect the lungs or kidneys.

The hantavirus is transmitted through contact with infected rodents, and the risk of transmission from person to person is extremely low. Dr. Marinescu emphasizes that there is no specific vaccine or treatment, and prevention remains essential, recommending authorities to control the rodent population and for citizens to avoid contact with them. Additionally, cats are not intermediate hosts but can indirectly contribute to exposure to the virus.