Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of which therapeutics are effective for treating the symptoms of hantavirus.

There is currently no vaccine or specific antiviral treatment for most hantavirus infections. Treatment is supportive and based on symptoms, such as hospital care and respiratory support.

Favipiravir is an antiviral medicine which is not licensed in the United Kingdom but has been recommended by clinical advisers as an appropriate post-exposure prophylaxis for the current hantavirus incident. Favipiravir is being offered as post-exposure prophylaxis to eligible high-risk contacts.

In the event of symptoms and a positive test, the patient will be transferred to relevant high consequence infectious disease facilities, in accordance with NHS guidance.