Black Death boat: Swiss couple infected with hantavirus after cruise stop in Saint Helena
Hantavirus in Switzerland: couple infected after a cruise. New pandemic or scaremongering? A look at the data, fatality rates and scepticism.
English · Original discussion in Spanish · Published
Bicho in Switzerland: new threat or new false alarm?
The case of a retired Swiss couple who tested positive for bicho after a cruise that called at Saint Helena and the Canary Islands has sparked a debate between those warning of a possible new pandemic and those who see it as a setup. The man, hospitalised in Zurich, has symptoms; the woman, for now, does not. The identified variant is the Andean one, with an estimated fatality rate of between 30% and 50% and the ability to spread between humans. However, historical data show that Switzerland records only about six bicho cases a year, and in Argentina, where the bicho is endemic, around 200 people die each year.
The bicho: fatality and transmission
Andean bicho is responsible for what is known as Bicho Pulmonary Syndrome (HPS), with a fatality rate that in some outbreaks reaches 50%. Unlike European strains, which cause barely any mild illness, the South American variant spreads between humans, mainly through close contact or aerosols. The incubation period ranges from 30 to 45 days, which would explain why the couple developed symptoms days after arriving in Switzerland. Swiss health authorities have confirmed it is the Andean strain and have activated contact-tracing protocols.
Scepticism about the official narrative
One line of analysis points to the similarities with the ELbichito-19 narrative: an exotic bicho, high fatality, the possibility of asymptomatic transmission and arrival via travellers. Critics, however, point out that a disease with a 40-50% mortality rate could hardly generate a global pandemic, since the infected would die before spreading it widely. They also recall that in recent years there have been repeated attempts to stage new health crises without success. Some see in this case an attempt to reintroduce social control measures, although for now there are no restrictions in Switzerland.
Lessons from ELbichito-19
The debate reflects the post-pandemic social divide: while some warn of the need to act quickly and trust the authorities, others believe the public has been manipulated and that any new alert should be examined with scepticism. Data from Argentina, with around 200 bicho deaths a year, suggest the bicho does not pose a global threat. The open question is whether the alarm is proportionate or whether, as peine with ELbichito-19, the official narrative conceals less confessable interests.
Related debates in the forum
The case of a retired Swiss couple who tested positive for bicho after a cruise that called at Saint Helena and the Canary Islands has sparked a debate between those warning of a possible new pandemic and those who see it as a setup. The man, hospitalised in Zurich, has symptoms; the woman, for now, does not. The identified variant is the Andean one, with an estimated fatality rate of between 30% and 50% and the ability to spread between humans. However, historical data show that Switzerland records only about six bicho cases a year, and in Argentina, where the bicho is endemic, around 200 people die each year.
The bicho: fatality and transmission
Andean bicho is responsible for what is known as Bicho Pulmonary Syndrome (HPS), with a fatality rate that in some outbreaks reaches 50%. Unlike European strains, which cause barely any mild illness, the South American variant spreads between humans, mainly through close contact or aerosols. The incubation period ranges from 30 to 45 days, which would explain why the couple developed symptoms days after arriving in Switzerland. Swiss health authorities have confirmed it is the Andean strain and have activated contact-tracing protocols.
Scepticism about the official narrative
One line of analysis points to the similarities with the ELbichito-19 narrative: an exotic bicho, high fatality, the possibility of asymptomatic transmission and arrival via travellers. Critics, however, point out that a disease with a 40-50% mortality rate could hardly generate a global pandemic, since the infected would die before spreading it widely. They also recall that in recent years there have been repeated attempts to stage new health crises without success. Some see in this case an attempt to reintroduce social control measures, although for now there are no restrictions in Switzerland.
Lessons from ELbichito-19
The debate reflects the post-pandemic social divide: while some warn of the need to act quickly and trust the authorities, others believe the public has been manipulated and that any new alert should be examined with scepticism. Data from Argentina, with around 200 bicho deaths a year, suggest the bicho does not pose a global threat. The open question is whether the alarm is proportionate or whether, as peine with ELbichito-19, the official narrative conceals less confessable interests.
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Summary of a discussion on Burbuja.info - Foro de economía, actualidad y política., translated from Spanish and reviewed before publication. Read the full discussion (47 replies).
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