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Health authorities are scrambling to trace passengers across multiple countries after hantavirus broke out on a cruise ship that sailed from Argentina a month ago
Three people have died. Four others were medically evacuated. The ship carried passengers from all over the world. Now a massive operation is underway to find everyone who may have been exposed before boarding flights home to the UK, South Africa, the Netherlands, the United States and Switzerland.
Despite the urgency, health experts are clear about one thing. The risk to the general public is low. Dr Maria Van Kerkhove from the World Health Organization addressed concerns directly on Thursday. She said this is not a pandemic situation. Hantavirus spreads very differently from Covid or influenza.
The Andes Strain behind this outbreak is not highly infectious. Human-to-human transmission is possible but rare. It requires prolonged close contact. Unlike measles or other airborne threats, this virus does not move through casual interactions in public spaces, shops, or schools.
How worried should we be about hantavirus and what are authorities doing to contain it
Eight cases have been identified so far among people who were on board the MV Hondius. Three are confirmed. Five are suspected. It remains unclear exactly how the outbreak started. Hantavirus typically spreads from rodents. People get infected by breathing in air contaminated with virus particles from rodent urine, droppings, or saliva.
The cruise had been visiting remote wildlife areas. A passenger could have come into contact with the virus during one of those excursions or even before boarding. Experts also believe some infections on the ship may have passed between people due to the cramped living conditions. Shared cabins and dining areas create environments where prolonged close contact happens naturally.
Symptoms usually appear between two and four weeks after exposure. In some cases, it can take more than a month. Infected individuals may experience fever, fatigue, muscle aches, shortness of breath, stomach pain, nausea and vomiting. There is no specific treatment for hantavirus. Medical support focuses on managing symptoms. Early hospital care can improve survival chances.
The contact tracing effort has been described as enormous. Prof Robin May from the UK Health Security Agency called it a mammoth task and one that will continue for some time. British passengers returning from the ship are being asked to self-isolate for 45 days as a precaution. Two Britons who left the ship at St Helena have already contacted health officials and are voluntarily isolating. They have no symptoms. Five others who disembarked at the same stop have not yet returned to the UK.
In the United States, health officials in Georgia and Arizona are monitoring three passengers who flew home after leaving the ship. None are showing symptoms. The MV Hondius is now sailing toward Spain’s Canary Islands after being anchored near Cape Verde. The plan is for remaining passengers and crew to fly to their home countries.
Local health authorities have visited the vessel. The ship has been professionally deep cleaned. Passengers have been isolating on board. Oceanwide Expeditions confirmed on Thursday that no one still on the ship is displaying symptoms. Thirty passengers including seven Britons left when the ship docked at St Helena on 24 April. All have since been contacted.
Dr Meera Chand from UKHSA moved to reassure the public. The risk to the general population remains very low. Contact tracing is being done to limit any chance of onward transmission. For anyone not directly connected to this Cruise Ship, the threat is negligible. Health officials are treating the situation seriously while keeping the facts grounded. Panic is not warranted. Vigilance is.
