The United States, along with several other countries, is taking measures to prevent the further spread of hantavirus following an outbreak on a cruise ship. The Dutch cruise ship, MV Hondius, operated by Oceanwide Expeditions, reported that 29 passengers, including six Americans, may be at risk of carrying the virus after departing the ship at St. Helena on April 24. Health officials in Arizona, California, Georgia, Texas, and Virginia are monitoring residents who were on the cruise for signs of hantavirus infections.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) stated that U.S. travelers are being monitored, but the risk to the general public in America is currently very low. Eight individuals, including a Swiss citizen, are suspected of having contracted the virus, with three fatalities – a Dutch couple and a German national – reported among them. The World Health Organization (WHO) confirmed five cases of hantavirus, with one death attributed to the virus so far.
Infectious disease expert Maria DeJoseph Van Kerkhove emphasized the importance of not panicking, stating that hantavirus is different from COVID-19 or influenza in terms of how it spreads. The cruise ship is en route to the Canary Islands in Spain, despite opposition from local authorities. Hantavirus is typically transmitted from rodents to humans through feces, saliva, or urine, causing severe respiratory illness and possible fatality. The Andes strain, found in the confirmed cases on the cruise ship, can be transmitted between people.
