The Ministry of Health has prepared a special plan for the management of possible cases or contacts of infection with Andes virus (ANDV), on the occasion of the international incident linked to the cruise ship MV Hondius, with the HIO informing all doctors of the General Health System accordingly.
The Plan was prepared on May 12, sent to doctors yesterday and details the procedures that will be activated in case of detection of a possible case in Cyprus, with particular emphasis on early identification, isolation, contact tracing and safe hospital management.
While the Cypriot authorities assess that the risk to the general population remains "extremely low", they underline that the severity of the disease and the possibility of rapid deterioration make full operational preparedness necessary.
The "LETO" plan is activated
In case of detection of a possible incident or exposure of a Cypriot citizen, the national coordination mechanism under the Medical Services is immediately activated through the special plan "LETO".
In addition to the Ministry of Health, OKYPY, the Nicosia General Hospital, the Ambulance Service, the Institute of Neurology and Genetics, the Police, the Civil Defense and other ministries and state services participate in the mechanism.
A suspected incident is considered to be a person who:
-Travelled or came into contact with a passenger or crew member of the MV Hondius
-He has a fever
-He has myalgias, gastrointestinal or respiratory symptoms.
Incidents are divided into high and low risk. The high-risk category includes people who shared a room or cabin with a case, partners, people who stayed at a distance of less than two meters for more than 15 minutes, health professionals without appropriate protective equipment, aircraft passengers who sat near a suspicious incident.
42-day self-isolation
The plan provides for strict monitoring for high-risk contacts, who will be placed in home self-isolation for 42 days.
Among others:
-They must use a separate room,
-Avoid public transport,
-Wear a medical mask,
-Monitor possible symptoms daily,
-To be under the supervision of the Public Health authorities.
In case symptoms appear, immediate isolation and medical evaluation are provided. For low-risk contacts, passive self-monitoring is provided for six weeks without restriction of daily activities.
Nicosia hospital is a reference hospital
Nicosia General Hospital is designated as the only reference hospital for possible or confirmed cases of ANDV. Other public or private hospitals will not treat cases, but will only recognize them, temporarily isolate them and organize safe transport.
For the management of suspicious incidents, single isolation rooms, use of masks, protective gowns and goggles, special disinfection protocols, staff limitation, strict hand hygiene as well as the use of negative pressure chambers where available, are provided.
Particular emphasis is also placed on transport management, with the plan prohibiting the use of public transport or the autonomous transfer of patients to A&E.
Laboratory confirmation will be done by serological tests, RT-PCR and, where required, genomic analysis by metagenomic sequencing (mNGS).
The Immunology Laboratory of the Nicosia Hospital and the Department of Molecular Virology of the Cyprus Institute of Neurology and Genetics participate in these procedures.
"The risk to the population is very low"
Despite the preparedness plan, the Ministry of Health emphasizes that the risk to the general population is very low, there is no indication of the virus settling in Europe, while human-to-human transmission remains rare.
The plan also provides for special communication management, with all public announcements issued exclusively by the Ministry of Health, to avoid panic and misinformation.
-Avoid public transport,
-Wear a medical mask,
-Monitor possible symptoms daily,
-To be under the supervision of the Public Health authorities.
In case symptoms appear, immediate isolation and medical evaluation are provided. For low-risk contacts, passive self-monitoring is provided for six weeks without restriction of daily activities.
Nicosia hospital is a reference hospital
Nicosia General Hospital is designated as the only reference hospital for possible or confirmed cases of ANDV. Other public or private hospitals will not treat cases, but will only recognize them, temporarily isolate them and organize safe transport.
For the management of suspicious incidents, single isolation rooms, use of masks, protective gowns and goggles, special disinfection protocols, staff limitation, strict hand hygiene as well as the use of negative pressure chambers where available, are provided.
Particular emphasis is also placed on transport management, with the plan prohibiting the use of public transport or the autonomous transfer of patients to A&E.
Laboratory confirmation will be done by serological tests, RT-PCR and, where required, genomic analysis by metagenomic sequencing (mNGS).
The Immunology Laboratory of the Nicosia Hospital and the Department of Molecular Virology of the Cyprus Institute of Neurology and Genetics participate in these procedures.
"The risk to the population is very low"
Despite the preparedness plan, the Ministry of Health emphasizes that the risk to the general population is very low, there is no indication of the virus settling in Europe, while human-to-human transmission remains rare.
The plan also provides for special communication management, with all public announcements issued exclusively by the Ministry of Health, to avoid panic and misinformation.
