A passenger on the MV Hondius cruise ship has died following an hantavirus outbreak. More cases are expected due to the virus’s incubation period.
Key Points:
- There have been at least nine confirmed cases linked to this outbreak.
- The passenger died after being hospitalized following disembarkation.
- The World Health Organization (WHO) warns more infections could appear as the virus has an incubation period of up to six weeks.
- Hantaviruses are a family of viruses primarily carried by rodents.
- The outbreak is linked to the Andes virus strain, which is part of this family.
About Hantaviruses:
- Transmission: Humans typically get infected through contact with rodent urine, droppings, or saliva. Activities like cleaning enclosed spaces or forestry work increase risk. Human-to-human transmission is rare but has been documented for the Andes virus strain during close, prolonged contact.
- Types of Illness: Depending on the variant, infection can lead to:
- Hantavirus Cardiopulmonary Syndrome (HCPS): Affects lungs and heart (common in the Americas).
- Haemorrhagic Fever with Renal Syndrome (HFRS): Affects kidneys (common in Europe and Asia).
- Symptoms: Include fever, headache, muscle aches, and gastrointestinal issues. They usually appear 1-8 weeks after exposure.
- Treatment: There is no specific cure. Care focuses on managing symptoms.
- Fatality Rate: Varies by region and strain, from less than 1–15% in Asia/Europe to up to 50% in the Americas.
Risk to General Public:
Both the WHO and European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) consider the risk very low for the general population. Recent genetic sequencing shows the virus in this outbreak is not a new variant and does not appear to spread more easily.
Context in Europe:
Hantavirus infections are uncommon in Europe. The ECDC reported under 2,000 cases annually in recent years. Globally, the WHO estimates 10,000–100,000 infections occur yearly, mostly in Asia এবং Europe.
Previous Outbreaks:
A notable outbreak occurred in Argentina (2018–2019), with 34 cases এবং 11 deaths. In that event, human-to-human transmission was observed.
