On Tuesday, the World Health Organization (WHO) announced two additional cases of hantavirus associated with the cruise ship MV. Hondius. This brings the total number of affected individuals to 11, including 9 confirmed cases and 2 suspected ones.
The WHO indicates that while the outbreak seems to be under control and the threat to the general public is low, it is possible that more infections could emerge.
“Considering how the virus spreads on the ship and its incubation period, we anticipate further cases. However, there are currently no signs suggesting a larger outbreak,” stated the WHO.
According to the Spanish Ministry of Health, one of the new confirmed cases involves a passenger from Spain aboard the Hondius. This individual tested positive for hantavirus on Monday. The Spanish passengers were the first to exit in the Canary Islands and are now isolated in a military hospital. Except for the case reported on Tuesday, all Spanish passengers have been infected.
The other newly infected person is a French woman who was evacuated to Paris and began showing symptoms on Sunday night. Medical professionals reported that she is experiencing severe lung and heart issues and is currently on life support.
All confirmed cases to date have originated from the same ship, Hondius. Health officials are tracing contacts to avoid further spread, and while a few suspected cases are under observation, there have been no confirmed hantavirus infections apart from the ship’s passengers and crew.
Some health experts have raised concerns that if any of the currently monitored potential infections test positive, it could imply that the strain of Andean hantavirus present on the ship might be more transmissible than previously thought.
“What we’re learning, including from the doctors onboard, suggests that some people may have gotten infected without the usual prolonged exposure we assumed was necessary,” noted Dr. Ashish Jha from Harvard. He shared this information with NBC News on Monday.
On the other hand, Dr. Brendan Jackson from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) countered that there’s no evidence indicating that this Andes strain has affected anyone outside of the cruise context.
Jackson explained that the Andes strain is generally transmitted among “household members who, for example, share beds, utensils, or bodily fluids,” and thus far, all known infections fit that pattern.
NBC pointed out that the most severe outbreak of the Andean strain, recorded in Argentina, resulted in 34 infections and 11 fatalities, predominantly occurring at crowded gatherings.
Maria van Kerkhove, WHO’s Director of Epidemic and Pandemic Threat Management, advised on Sunday that local and national health authorities should consider all returnees from the Hondius as “high-risk contacts” to reduce uncertainty. The WHO recommends a quarantine of 42 days for high-risk contacts to ensure they remain isolated until the virus’s incubation period is over.
This recommendation has faced pushback from U.S. health officials who argue that those returning from the ship won’t be protected. Passengers who test negative will need to monitor their symptoms and stay in contact with local health authorities for 42 days without requiring quarantine.
French Minister of Health Stéphanie List reported on Tuesday that it’s still too early to determine whether the strain involved in the current outbreak corresponds to previous versions of the Andean hantavirus.
“We have uncertainties. The full sequence of the virus hasn’t been established yet,” she remarked. “We can’t be sure that this virus hasn’t mutated.”
In response to this situation, Radboudumz Hospital in Nijmegen, Netherlands, took precautionary measures, isolating 12 staff members who treated hantavirus patients without following the most stringent protocols that such cases normally require.
Dutch Health Minister Sophie Hermans stated to parliament that “strict protocols were observed, yet they weren’t the absolute most stringent for instances involving this hantavirus.” She added that, while it’s improbable that the staff contracted the virus, necessary precautions will be taken since it is a serious threat.
“This situation differs considerably from the new coronavirus. We believe that, based on our knowledge and the steps we’re implementing, we can effectively manage this virus,” she concluded, reiterating that hantaviruses fundamentally differ from the Wuhan coronavirus.
