Hantavirus outbreak on cruise ship: 3 infected patients evacuated to Netherlands, says WHO
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the vessel remains at sea with nearly 150 passengers and crew members still onboard as it heads toward Spain’s Canary Islands.
Two confirmed hantavirus patients and one suspected case were evacuated from a cruise ship off the coast of Cape Verde on Wednesday (May 6) as health authorities intensified efforts to contain a deadly outbreak onboard.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the vessel remains at sea with nearly 150 passengers and crew members still onboard as it heads toward Spain’s Canary Islands.
According to AP, the scene showed health workers wearing protective equipment boarding the ship to carry out the evacuation, which included the vessel’s British doctor.
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Hantaviruses are viruses carried by rodents that can infect humans. They primarily spread through exposure to rodent urine, droppings, or saliva, often when the virus becomes airborne during cleaning. Less commonly, it spreads through contaminated surfaces.
The strain detected on the ship was the Andes virus, which is typically found in South America, particularly Argentina and Chile. This strain is notable because it is one of the few known hantavirus strains capable of limited human-to-human transmission.
Symptoms typically begin one to eight weeks after exposure and can include fever, muscle aches, headaches, fatigue, dizziness, and gastrointestinal issues. Severe cases, like Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome, can progress rapidly to respiratory failure and carry high mortality rates.
There is no specific treatment for hantavirus infection; therapy focuses on supportive care such as rest, fluids, and potentially breathing support like a ventilator. Prevention involves limiting contact with rodents and keeping areas clean.
While the outbreak is unusual, health experts and the WHO have stated that the overall risk to the general public remains low. The cruise ship environment, with close quarters, made the rare transmission patterns more visible.
Spain’s health ministry said the doctor had earlier been in “serious condition” but had since improved. An air ambulance later departed carrying the evacuated patients.
Three deaths linked to outbreak
WHO said three people have died in connection with the outbreak, while one body remains on the ship.
Of the eight recorded cases, five have been confirmed through laboratory testing.
Authorities said the infections involve the Andes virus strain of hantavirus, which is found mainly in South America, particularly in Argentina and Chile.
Hantavirus typically spreads through exposure to rodent droppings, urine, or saliva, though rare cases of person-to-person transmission have also been documented.
WHO: ‘This is not the next COVID’
WHO epidemic expert Maria Van Kerkhove sought to reassure the public while emphasizing the seriousness of the disease.
“This is not the next COVID, but it is a serious infectious disease,” Van Kerkhove said.
She added: “Most people will never be exposed to this.”
Van Kerkhove said access to clinical care remains critical because severe hantavirus infections can cause acute respiratory distress requiring oxygen support or mechanical ventilation.
The incubation period for the virus can range from one to six weeks or longer, according to WHO.
Suspected source traced to Argentina
Two Argentine officials involved in the investigation told the Associated Press that authorities believe a Dutch couple may have contracted the virus while bird-watching in Ushuaia before boarding the ship.
Investigators suspect the couple may have been exposed to rodents while visiting a landfill during the excursion.
The officials spoke anonymously because the investigation remains ongoing.
Authorities previously said there had been no recorded hantavirus cases in Ushuaia or the surrounding Tierra del Fuego province.
Passengers isolated onboard
Health officials said all remaining passengers and crew onboard the MV Hondius are currently symptom-free and isolating in their cabins.
Spain’s health ministry said the ship’s arrival in the Canary Islands within the next three to four days “won’t represent any risk for the public.”
However, Canary Islands regional president Fernando Clavijo expressed concern over the situation and requested talks with Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez.
International tracing effort underway
Authorities across Europe and Africa are now attempting to trace passengers and crew members who may have disembarked earlier during the voyage.
The ship’s route included stops in Antarctica, South Georgia, Tristan da Cunha, St. Helena, Ascension Island, and other remote South Atlantic locations.
Swiss officials confirmed that a former passenger who tested positive for hantavirus is being treated in a Zurich hospital.
South African authorities earlier said two passengers transferred there had tested positive. One later died while another remains in intensive care.
The South African health ministry said officials have traced 42 out of 62 people believed to have had contact with infected passengers. All 42 tested negative.
However, authorities are still searching for 20 additional contacts, including airline passengers and crew members who may have traveled internationally.
Rare outbreak raises global concern
WHO noted that hantavirus outbreaks aboard ships are extremely rare and said the current situation has prompted an unusual multinational public health response.
Experts continue to stress that the broader public risk remains low, but authorities are closely monitoring all possible contacts as the ship continues its journey toward Europe.
(With AP inputs)
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