Will WHO declare a hantavirus pandemic by the end of 2026?

This market resolves after 31 December 2026, 23:59 UTC by Orakul administration based on official statements from the World Health Organization (WHO) and major international media. 📋 Background In early May 2026, WHO recorded a hantavirus cluster (Andes strain) on the MV Hondius cruise ship (Dutch-flagged, Argentina-to-Canary-Islands route). As of May 7, 8 cases were registered (3 lab-confirmed), 3 dead (2 Dutch citizens, 1 German), cases linked to passengers from 5 countries. WHO Director-General Tedros Ghebreyesus stated this is NOT comparable to the start of COVID-19 and assessed the global health risk as LOW. Experts note that hantavirus is poorly transmissible person-to-person. 📋 Resolution criteria The «YES» contract wins if, between market launch and 31 December 2026, 23:59 UTC, WHO officially declares any of the following: ✅ Counts • Official declaration of a hantavirus pandemic by the WHO Director-General • Declaration of a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) specifically for the hantavirus outbreak • Any official WHO statement using the term «pandemic» (or «пандемия») in relation to hantavirus • Emergency Committee decision qualifying the outbreak as PHEIC ❌ Does not count • Local outbreak or epidemic declarations by individual countries without WHO • Regional warnings without an official WHO declaration • Disease Outbreak News (DON) without escalation to pandemic or PHEIC • WHO situation reports without a formal declaration • Closure or containment of the MV Hondius cluster • Statements by individual WHO representatives about «pandemic risk» without official declaration • World Health Assembly resolutions without declaring pandemic or PHEIC 📰 Verification Primary source: official WHO website (who.int), press releases, Director-General statements. Additionally: Reuters, AP, BBC, TASS, RIA, RT citing the specific WHO declaration. Minimum 2 independent confirmations. 🔧 Process After 31 December 2026, 23:59 UTC Orakul administration reviews all official WHO statements for the market period. Dispute window - 24 hours after publication.