In a troubling development, several passengers aboard a cruise ship have succumbed to a rare virus, hantavirus, known to be transmitted by rodents. The World Health Organization (WHO) has confirmed these fatalities.
The alert was raised on May 2 regarding a series of infections linked to the Dutch cruise ship MV Hondius. The vessel had embarked on its journey from Argentina in April, setting sail across the Atlantic Ocean.
“So far, eight cases have been reported, including three deaths,” WHO Director General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus shared during a media briefing on May 7. “Five of the eight cases have been confirmed as hantavirus, and the other three are suspected.”
According to Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus of the WHO, hantaviruses are a category of viruses borne by rodents, which can lead to severe illness in humans. “Transmission typically occurs through contact with infected rodents or their excretions,” he noted. The particular strain involved, identified as the Andes virus, is native to Latin America and is unique in its ability to transmit between humans, albeit in limited cases.
The sequence of events began with an adult male passenger who fell ill on April 6, just five days after leaving Argentina. He exhibited symptoms such as fever, headache, and mild diarrhea. His condition rapidly deteriorated, leading to respiratory distress and ultimately, his death on April 11.
“Initially, the symptoms resembled other respiratory illnesses, so hantavirus was not immediately suspected,” Dr. Ghebreyesus remarked.
It was only on April 24, nearly two weeks later, that the man’s body was removed from the MV Hondius when it docked at Saint Helena. His widow, who had also shown symptoms, disembarked at the same time, adding to the urgency and complexity of the situation.
The next day, her health “deteriorated” during a flight to Johannesburg, per Dr. Ghebreyesus, and she died on April 26. Samples taken by scientists in South Africa confirmed she had suffered from hantavirus.
The third death, per WHO, was an adult female passenger who developed symptoms on the ship on April 28 and succumbed to them four days later.
Another passenger who reported to the ship’s doctor on April 24 is currently in intensive care in South Africa, the organization confirmed. Meanwhile, three other passengers who fell ill aboard the ship received care from Cabo Verde doctors and have since been evacuated to the Netherlands for further treatment.
The eighth hantavirus case comes from a man who disembarked in Saint Helena and later self-reported symptoms once in Switzerland.
“None of the remaining passengers or crew on the ship are currently symptomatic,” Dr. Ghebreyesus said. He added that due to the Andes virus’ six-week incubation period, more cases may be reported, but assured that WHO currently assesses the health risk to the general public as “low.”
“We believe this will be a limited outbreak if the public health measures are implemented and solidarity is shown across all countries,” WHO’s alert and response director Dr. Abdirahman Mahamud said at the media briefing.
“This is not the next COVID, but it is a serious infectious disease,” the WHO’s director of epidemic and pandemic preparedness Maria Van Kerkhove told the Associated Press. “Most people will never be exposed to this.”
As Dr. Ghebreyesus noted, the WHO’s priority is “to ensure the affected patients receive care, that the remaining passengers on the ship are kept safe and treated with dignity, and to prevent any further spread of the virus.”
According to Oceanwide Expeditions, the company operating the cruise, the situation aboard the ship “remains calm, and guest and crew continue to follow procedures, now under the guidance of the medical team.”
The ship is tentatively expected to arrive at a port on the Spanish island of Tenerife on May 10, the company noted, adding that preparations for quarantine and screening for those aboard are being organized by multiple international organizations.
The Center for Disease Control also announced that the public health agency has been “closely monitoring the situation with U.S. travelers onboard” the ship.
“The Department of State is leading a coordinated, whole-of-government response,” their May 6 statement noted, “including direct contact with passengers, diplomatic coordination, and engagement with domestic and international health authorities.”
“At this time, the risk to the American public is extremely low,” the CDC added. “We urge all Americans aboard the ship to follow the guidance of health officials as we work to bring you home safely.”
Investigations into the outbreak are ongoing, the WHO noted in a news release.
