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'Nothing like COVID': Expert urges calm over hantavirus outbreak on cruise ship

Medical experts say the hantavirus outbreak linked to a cruise ship remains contained and should not trigger fears of another Covid-style crisis. Speaking to FRANCE 24, former Institut Pasteur chief Christian Bréchot said human-to-human transmission of the virus is rare, but warned the incident highlights the need for faster testing and stronger outbreak response systems worldwide.

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Macron heads to Kenya to push new France-Africa partnership

President Emmanuel Macron has chosen Kenya as the stage for a renewed French push to strengthen ties with Africa through business, diplomacy and culture. The Africa Forward Summit in Nairobi on Monday and Tuesday will bring together heads of state, executives and artists as France seeks to promote a partnership-based approach to the continent. FRANCE 24's Bastien Renouil reports. 

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Scottish independence calls grow after Labour losses shake Starmer’s leadership

Fresh demands for a second Scottish independence referendum have intensified after Labour’s heavy election losses across the UK, piling further pressure on Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer. With the Scottish National Party claiming a sweeping victory in Scotland and Nigel Farage’s Reform UK surging south of the border, SNP figures said the results showed the urgent need for Scotland to break away from Westminster.

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Hantavirus poses 'very little risk' to wider public, health expert says

Health experts say a hantavirus outbreak linked to a cruise ship should not be compared to Covid-19, despite growing public concern and online misinformation. Professor of Medecine Paul Hunter of the University of East Anglia said the virus is well known, spreads only through close contact, and poses “very little risk” to the wider public, even as passengers continue to be monitored after disembarking in the Canary Islands.

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International evacuation underway as cruise ship passengers return home

Spanish passengers and crew from the quarantined ship have begun disembarking as an international evacuation effort unfolds in the Canary Islands. Authorities say strict health protocols are in place, while officials and experts stress the virus poses far less risk than COVID-19 despite growing public concern. FRANCE 24's Sarah Morris reports.

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