Hantavirus Outbreak on Cruise Ship

PARIS — A French woman infected during a hantavirus outbreak on a cruise ship is critically ill and currently receiving treatment with an artificial lung, as stated by a doctor at a Paris hospital. The outbreak has now been linked to a total of 11 reported cases, with 9 confirmed infections.

Tragically, three individuals on the cruise have died, including a Dutch couple believed to have been the initial ones exposed to the virus while in South America.

The hospitalized French passenger is suffering from a severe form of the disease, which has led to dangerous complications affecting her lungs and heart. Dr. Xavier Lescure, specializing in infectious diseases at Bichat Hospital, described her condition as requiring life support via a device that pumps blood through an artificial lung to supply oxygen. This approach is intended to alleviate pressure on her lungs and heart, giving them a chance to heal. Lescure mentioned that this marks “the final stage of supportive care.”

Meanwhile, the MV Hondius has returned to the Netherlands after all passengers and many crew members were evacuated. The ship is currently in the process of being cleaned and disinfected.

The director of the World Health Organization has indicated that all confirmed and suspected cases have been confined to passengers and crew from the cruise ship. He emphasized there are no indications of a larger outbreak at this time, but cautioned that the situation could evolve, particularly given the prolonged incubation period of the virus which may lead to more cases in the coming weeks.

Spain’s health ministry reported that a Spanish passenger who was evacuated from the ship tested positive for hantavirus and is now in quarantine at a military hospital in Madrid.

This marks the first hantavirus outbreak aboard a cruise ship. Although there is no known cure or vaccine for the virus, early detection and treatment are said to enhance survival chances, as noted by the WHO.

Investigation into Outbreak’s Origin

Argentina’s health ministry announced plans to send a team of experts to determine the source of the outbreak. The Dutch couple who were the first identified cases reportedly spent several months in Argentina and surrounding areas before boarding the cruise. After their exposure, they both died.

Officials mentioned that the couple participated in a bird-watching tour that included a visit to a landfill, where they might have encountered rodents carrying the virus. The investigation will focus on the landfill and other areas where known rodents might have been present, although local officials have disputed the assertion that the outbreak originated there.

Completion of Passenger Evacuation

The evacuation of 87 passengers and 35 crew members from the MV Hondius was completed successfully, with personnel in full protective gear overseeing the operation that ended Monday night. Flights arrived overnight in the Netherlands carrying Dutch nationals, as well as passengers from Australia and New Zealand, along with crew members from the Philippines. All individuals are now in quarantine.

Some crew members remain onboard as the ship heads towards the Dutch port of Rotterdam.

Typically, hantavirus is transmitted via rodent droppings and doesn’t spread easily from person to person. However, the Andes virus involved in this cruise outbreak may have limited human-to-human transmission in rare instances. Symptoms generally appear between one and eight weeks following exposure and may include fever, chills, and muscle aches.

WHO’s Tedros recommended that returning passengers quarantine for 42 days, either at home or in designated facilities. He acknowledged that enforcement of this guidance isn’t possible, and that countries may handle monitoring differently.

Quarantine for Medical Staff

Twelve employees at a Dutch hospital where a passenger from the cruise is being treated have been placed in quarantine for six weeks due to improper handling of bodily fluids, as reported by Radboud University Medical Center. Although the risk of infection is considered low, the hospital has opted for precautionary measures.

A passenger who had been evacuated to the hospital tested positive for hantavirus after arriving from an evacuation flight last week.

The hospital indicated that proper protocols for handling patient blood and urine had not been observed.