SouthernWorldwide.com – Health officials globally are closely monitoring a severe hantavirus outbreak linked to a Dutch-flagged cruise ship, the M/V Hondius, which is currently en route to Spain’s Canary Islands. The outbreak has resulted in eight confirmed or suspected cases, with three fatalities reported so far.
Hantaviruses, typically transmitted to humans through direct contact with rodent droppings or saliva, can cause severe pulmonary and respiratory distress, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The specific strain identified in this outbreak is the Andes virus, notable for being the only known hantavirus capable of human-to-human transmission through prolonged close contact.
Investigations, contact tracing, and isolation protocols are actively being implemented in various countries for passengers who disembarked the ship in late April. The World Health Organization (WHO) has stated that no individuals currently on board the ship are exhibiting symptoms of the virus, as confirmed by the ship operator, Oceanwide Expeditions. Due to the potential for a lengthy incubation period for hantavirus and the ongoing public health measures, Maria Van Kerkhove, the WHO’s director of epidemic and pandemic preparedness and prevention, cautioned that more cases could potentially emerge.
Here’s a detailed overview of the confirmed and suspected cases:
Dutch Couple Suspected as Initial Cases
Oceanwide Expeditions reported that a 70-year-old Dutch man passed away on April 11 while on the ship. He had developed symptoms less than a week prior, on April 6, as stated by WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. At the time of his death, hantavirus was not suspected due to the similarity of his symptoms to other respiratory illnesses, and no samples were collected. He is now believed to be the first hantavirus case associated with the ship.
His wife, aged 69, disembarked the cruise ship on April 24 in Saint Helena, a remote British island territory in the Atlantic Ocean. She passed away two days later in South Africa after her condition worsened during a flight to Johannesburg. Subsequent blood tests confirmed she was infected with the Andes strain of hantavirus.
Prior to boarding the cruise on April 1, the couple had traveled through Argentina, Chile, and Uruguay, visiting areas known to be inhabited by rodents that carry the Andes virus. Contact tracing is underway for passengers on the wife’s flight from Saint Helena to Johannesburg, and the WHO is collaborating with countries of citizenship for other passengers who disembarked in Saint Helena.
British Passenger Hospitalized in South Africa
On April 24, a male passenger from the United Kingdom presented to the ship’s doctor with respiratory symptoms and signs consistent with pneumonia. By April 26, his condition had deteriorated, leading to his medical evacuation on April 27 from Ascension Island to South Africa. He remains hospitalized in intensive care, and tests have confirmed he contracted the Andes virus.
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Van Kerkhove reported on Thursday that the British passenger’s health status was improving, after previously being described as critically ill.
German Woman Died Aboard Ship
Another passenger, a woman from Germany, died aboard the Hondius on May 2. She developed a fever on April 28, followed by symptoms of pneumonia. Her body remains on the ship, according to the cruise operator.
Three Evacuated to the Netherlands
Three individuals were evacuated from the ship on Wednesday and transported to the Netherlands for medical treatment. Two of these individuals, a Dutch passenger and a British crew member, were exhibiting symptoms of the virus, with Oceanwide Expeditions describing their conditions as serious.
Van Kerkhove stated that the WHO was informed that both individuals were in stable condition on Thursday. The third person evacuated, a German passenger, was not showing symptoms but had been in close contact with the German woman who died on May 2. This individual has since returned to Germany, as confirmed by the WHO.
Swiss Man Tested Positive
A Swiss man who disembarked in Saint Helena has tested positive for the Andes strain of hantavirus. He developed symptoms and underwent testing in Zurich, where he is currently receiving medical care. His wife, who was traveling with him, has not shown any symptoms but is self-isolating as a precautionary measure.
International Monitoring Efforts Underway
The WHO is coordinating with health officials in at least 12 countries to monitor citizens who returned home after disembarking the ship in Saint Helena. These countries include Canada, Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Singapore, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
In the U.S., health agencies in five states are monitoring individuals who were on the ship: Georgia and Texas each have two individuals, Arizona and Virginia have one each, and California has an unspecified number. None of these individuals are currently displaying symptoms.
The French Ministry of Health has identified eight French nationals who had contact with the Dutch woman who died from hantavirus. One of these individuals has reported mild symptoms, with diagnostic testing pending. The others have been offered isolation measures and access to testing.
