TALLINN, May 11 (Xinhua) -- An official of the Port of Tallinn said on Monday that hantavirus poses no direct threat to cruise traffic in the Baltic Sea and Estonian ports, with ships operating as scheduled and no passenger cancellations reported following the recent outbreak aboard a cruise ship in the South Atlantic.
"This particular case does not concern the Baltic Sea, so I would still say there is no threat to cruises in the Baltic Sea or to people," Sirle Arro, communications manager at the Port of Tallinn, was quoted as saying in an interview with ERR radio news.
Arro said cruise operators maintain strict safety protocols and that vessels are required to provide relevant information if any virus-related cases are detected on board.
If a suspected infection is identified on board, the Health Board determines the next steps, regardless of the virus involved, she said, adding that the Port of Tallinn also receives guidance from the Health Board on whether the vessel can dock and what procedures passengers and crew members must follow.
Arro said international health warnings about the possible spread of the virus could still indirectly affect the cruise business if passengers become concerned about health risks.
"In some cases, people may panic -- it depends on how seriously they assess the risk. They may feel it poses a threat to their health," she said.
