The first doses of an experimental antiviral are being urgently sent to France, Spain, and the Netherlands, following an outbreak of hantavirus on a cruise ship.

The European Commission has announced that the first doses of favipiravir, an experimental antiviral, are being urgently sent to France, Spain, and the Netherlands, following an outbreak of hantavirus aboard a cruise ship. In the absence of a specific treatment, the European Medicines Agency has identified favipiravir as the most promising candidate for use in clinical studies.

The Japanese company Fujifilm Pharmaceuticals has donated 1,400 tablets, requested by the three European countries. The European Union has initiated emergency procurement procedures to secure additional doses, in case new cases arise. So far, 13 people have tested positive for hantavirus, being treated in the Netherlands, France, Spain, as well as in Switzerland, the United States, and South Africa. Hantaviruses can cause serious illnesses, and the WHO estimates up to 100,000 cases annually worldwide. Three people have died as a result of this recent outbreak.