Hantavirus scare triggers fresh COVID-style measures

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Passengers aboard the MV Hondius have adopted strict health protocols reminiscent of the COVID-19 era as authorities across multiple countries investigate an outbreak of a rare hantavirus linked to several deaths.

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The New York Times reports that those on board the vessel are “…sanitising their hands repeatedly and awaiting their next socially distanced meal” as the ship sails across the Atlantic under heightened health surveillance.

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The outbreak has prompted coordinated international responses, with Spain confirming plans to receive the vessel in the Canary Islands despite objections from regional authorities.

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Spain’s health minister, Mónica García, said the ship would dock in Tenerife, where passengers would be able to return home if they are medically fit to travel.

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However, the move has drawn criticism from local officials. Fernando Clavijo, head of the Canary Islands government, questioned the decision, saying, “There is no information that justifies why the vessel must sail for three days to the Canary Islands.”

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Health concerns intensified after three passengers died and several others fell ill.

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The World Health Organisation confirmed that the cases are linked to hantavirus, a rare group of viruses typically transmitted by rodents.

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Despite the fatalities, the WHO Director-General, Tedros Ghebreyesus, sought to reassure the public, stating that “at this stage, the overall public health risk remains low.”

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Medical evacuations have already taken place, with three individuals, including two with acute symptoms, flown to the Netherlands for treatment.

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Authorities say the cases involve the Andes strain of hantavirus, which, while rare, can spread between humans through close and sustained contact.

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South African health officials have since begun tracing individuals who may have been exposed.

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The country’s health minister, Aaron Motsoaledi, said authorities had identified 62 contacts, adding that 42 people have already been traced and placed under observation.

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On board the ship, passengers have been instructed to maintain distancing, wear masks and adhere to strict hygiene practices. Dining arrangements have also been modified, with seating spaced out and sanitiser stations installed throughout the vessel.

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“Our days have been close to normal, just waiting for authorities to find a solution,” one passenger told The Times, adding that morale remained high despite the uncertainty.

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Investigations are ongoing into the origin of the outbreak, with Argentine authorities examining whether the virus may have been contracted during earlier travel in South America.

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According to a Harvard health advisory, hantavirus was first identified in the Hantaan River region of Korea and is commonly carried by rodents, with humans contracting it through exposure to their saliva, urine or droppings.

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The advisory notes that while the disease is rare, it can be severe, particularly when it affects the lungs, kidneys or heart.

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The advisory further states that human-to-human transmission is “unusual” and that infections are “not considered a significant risk to the public” due to their rarity and limited spread. However, the confined environment of a cruise ship may have created conditions for the limited spread now under investigation.

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Symptoms of the disease often begin with fatigue, fever and muscle aches, followed by headaches, dizziness and gastrointestinal distress.

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In more severe cases, patients may develop respiratory complications, including coughing and shortness of breath, as fluid accumulates in the lungs.

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