[50476] Deadly virus outbreak on a cruise ship and Russian claims regarding the planning of sabotage operations

[50476] Deadly virus outbreak on a cruise ship and Russian claims regarding the planning of sabotage operations

Hantavirus outbreak on the high seas

Reports from around the world indicate panic surrounding an outbreak of the Hantavirus on board the cruise ship 'MV Hondius'. According to ТАСС, which is affiliated with the positions of the Russian government, a Russian citizen is on board alongside crew members from many countries, including Ukraine. Sputnik Ближнее зарубежье reports that the ship departed from Argentina about three weeks ago, and during the voyage, three deaths and at least three additional cases of illness were recorded. As of now, the ship is under quarantine and no one is permitted to go ashore.

Марк Котлярский details that the World Health Organization has identified seven cases of infection. The virus, which is usually transmitted by rodents, can cause "Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome" or hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome. Despite the severity of the situation, medical experts cited in ТАСС assess that "the threat of the virus spreading to Russia does not exist".

Russian claims of maritime sabotage operations

Simultaneously, ТАСС is publishing harsh accusations from military-diplomatic sources, claiming that Ukraine, with the assistance of military experts from Norway, is "preparing terrorist acts against Russian vessels" in the Barents Sea and the Norwegian Sea. According to the report, a group of about 50 Ukrainian soldiers from a naval special forces unit is training in Norway on the use of unmanned vessels in cold conditions.

These sources claim that Norwegian involvement "directly drags NATO into a military conflict with Russia". It should be noted that these reports come from official Russian state media sources, which advocate for a narrative according to which the West is directly involved in actions against Russia.