Japan Sends Antiviral Drug Avigan to Britain After Hantavirus Outbreak

The Japanese government supplied antiviral drug Avigan from its stockpiles to Britain on Friday in response to a hantavirus outbreak, health minister Kenichiro Ueno said Monday. Britain has accepted passengers from a cruise ship on which the outbreak occurred during a voyage in the Atlantic Ocean.

They include a Japanese national. According to the ministry, the Japanese government supplied the drug at the request of the British government based on a bilateral memorandum of understanding.

There is no established cure for hantavirus, but data from animal studies indicates that Avigan may improve survival rates of patients. The provision of the drug does not affect Japan’s Avigan stockpiles. Ueno expressed gratitude to Britain for accommodating the Japanese national on a chartered plane and conducting health observations for the person in the country.

“We’ll continue to work closely with the international community to prevent the spread of infections,” he said. On the World Health Organization’s declaration of a public health emergency of international concern over Ebola outbreaks in Congo and Uganda, Ueno called for the public to respond calmly, saying, “At present, we believe the risk of a domestic outbreak is low.