The World Health Organisation (WHO) has reported a cluster of hantavirus cases linked to the Dutch-flagged cruise ship MV Hondius, which travelled from Argentina to Cabo Verde. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus provided an update on it and said eight cases of severe respiratory illness have been identified so far, including three deaths.
According to the WHO, five of the eight cases have been confirmed as hantavirus infections, while the remaining three are suspected. The virus involved is the Andes virus, a hantavirus species found in Latin America that is known for limited human-to-human transmission.
Dr Tedros said that the United Kingdom notified the WHO about the outbreak under the International Health Regulations after passengers aboard the cruise ship developed severe respiratory symptoms. The first known patient developed symptoms on April 6.
As his illness resembled other respiratory infections, hantavirus was initially not suspected and no samples were collected. He died aboard the ship on April 11. His wife, who disembarked on the island of St Helena, was also reported to be symptomatic. She deteriorated during a flight to Johannesburg on the 25th of April and died the next day.
The WHO noted that previous Andes virus outbreaks have shown that human-to-human transmission can occur during close and prolonged contact, particularly among family members, intimate partners, and healthcare workers.
