The World Health Organization emphasized on Thursday that the general public faces a “low” risk, despite the Andean strain of hantavirus being present on a distressed cruise ship and its potential for rare human transmission. As the MV Hondius is expected to reach Spain’s Canary Islands early Sunday, the WHO is developing detailed guidance for the passengers, including four Canadians, who are currently asymptomatic.
Tragically, three individuals, a Dutch couple, and a German national, have succumbed to the outbreak on the Hondius, with five others suspected of being infected. Unlike the coronavirus, hantavirus is a distinct virus, as highlighted by Maria Van Kerkhove, WHO’s director of epidemic and pandemic management.
Primarily transmitted through contact with rodents or their excreta, the Andean hantavirus strain identified in this incident presents a risk of airborne transmission when the material is disturbed. Symptoms include fatigue, fever, muscle pain, headache, nausea, and potentially progressing to respiratory distress, known as hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, which can be fatal.
The WHO emphasized the uniqueness of this situation, being the first cluster of hantavirus detected on a cruise ship, reassuring citizens of Tenerife in the Canary Islands that stringent protocols will be followed during disembarkation. Meanwhile, updates indicate an improvement in the condition of a British patient in South Africa and a stable patient in a Netherlands hospital.
As Oceanwide Expeditions disclosed that 30 individuals disembarked in St. Helena before the outbreak was reported, including two Canadians and a deceased passenger, efforts are underway to track these passengers. Notably, two Canadians and another individual who had contact with a symptomatic person are now in isolation in Ontario and Quebec as a precaution.
With countries worldwide initiating tracing of individuals who disembarked before the hantavirus discovery, attention is also on potential contacts in various regions. Health authorities are actively monitoring and testing suspected cases related to the cruise ship outbreak, emphasizing the importance of stringent measures to prevent further spread.