New Hantavirus : Three dead, WHO warns of more cases, multiple countries on alert

Global health authorities are closely monitoring a hantavirus outbreak linked to the Dutch cruise ship MV Hondius after three passengers died and multiple infections were confirmed across several countries. The outbreak has sparked concern because the strain detected aboard the vessel is the Andes virus, one of the rare hantavirus variants capable of limited human-to-human transmission.

The World Health Organization said Thursday that additional cases could still emerge because the virus has an incubation period of up to six weeks. However, WHO officials also stressed that the outbreak is expected to remain “limited” if proper public health precautions are followed.

“This is not the start of an epidemic. This is not the start of a pandemic. This is not Covid,” WHO epidemic preparedness director Maria Van Kerkhove said while attempting to calm fears surrounding the outbreak

What is hantavirus?

Hantavirus is a rare but potentially deadly disease caused by a group of viruses usually carried by rodents, especially rats and mice.

People generally become infected after inhaling virus particles released through rodent urine, droppings or saliva. In some cases, touching contaminated surfaces and then touching the face can also lead to infection.

Most hantavirus strains spread only from rodents to humans. However, the Andes virus strain identified in the MV Hondius outbreak is unusual because it can also spread between humans through close contact.

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The disease can trigger severe respiratory complications, cardiac distress …

Why the MV Hondius outbreak is causing alarm

The outbreak aboard the MV Hondius has drawn international attention because of the number of countries potentially exposed through global travel routes.

WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus confirmed that five cases and three suspected infections have been reported so far, including the three deaths.

“Given the incubation period of the Andes virus, which can be up to six weeks, it’s possible that more cases may be reported,” Tedros told journalist…

According to WHO emergency director Abdi Rahman Mahamud, authorities still believe the outbreak can be contained.

“We believe this will be a limited outbreak if the public health measures are implemented and solidarity shown across all countries,” he said.

How did the outbreak begin?

Investigators believe the outbreak likely began before the cruise even departed. According to officials, a passenger is suspected to have contracted the virus in Argentina before boarding the ship in Ushuaia, the southern coastal city where the voyage began on April 1.

The first known victim was a Dutch passenger who died aboard the ship on April 11.

His wife later accompanied his body to South Africa via Saint Helena island and subsequently died after developing s…

Argentine officials said the couple had travelled through Chile, Uruguay and Argentina before joining the cruise.

A German passenger also died on May 2. Authorities are now tracing passengers who disembarked at multiple stops during the voyage, including 29 individuals who left the vessel on Saint Helena.

WHO said it has already informed 12 countries whose citizens had disembarked from the cruise ship during the journey.

What are the symptoms of hantavirus?

According to News18 reports, hantavirus symptoms often begin like common viral illnesses, making early diagnosis difficult.

Initial symptoms may include:

Fever
Muscle pain
Fatigue
Headache
Chills
Nausea and vomiting

As the illness progresses, more severe complications can develop, including:

Difficulty breathing
Chest tightness
Fluid buildup in the lungs
Low blood pressure
Heart complications

In serious cases, patients can rapidly develop hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, a life-threatening respiratory condition.

The incubation period may range from one to six weeks after exposure.

How does hantavirus spread?

Most hantavirus infections occur after exposure to infected rodents or contaminated environments.

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People may become infected by:

Breathing in contaminated dust particles
Touching rodent droppings or urine
Consuming contaminated food
Being bitten by infected rodents

The Andes virus is different because it can also spread through prolonged close human contact, especially among family members or caregivers.

That feature is one reason why health authorities are carefully tracing contacts linked to the cruise ship outbreak.

Is there a risk of a global pandemic?

Health experts say the risk of a Covid-style pandemic remains extremely low. Unlike Covid-19, hantavirus does not spread easily through casual contact or airborne transmission across large populations.

WHO officials have repeatedly stressed that there is currently no evidence of widespread community transmission.

The UK Health Security Agency also said the public risk remains “very low,” even though some passengers returning from the ship have been advised to isolate as a precaution.

At present, officials say the outbreak remains linked mainly to close-contact exposure among passengers connected to the cruise ship.

Why experts are still taking it seriously

Even though the broader pandemic risk appears limited, the outbreak highlights how quickly rare infectious diseases can trigger international concern in an interconnected world.

The fact that infected passengers travelled through airports, ships and multiple countries before diagnosis has complicated tracing efforts.

Argentine authorities are now planning to test rodents in Ushuaia to determine whether local rodent populations may have contributed to the outbreak source.

For health agencies, the immediate priority remains containing infections linked to the MV Hondius while ensuring exposed individuals are identified quickly.

And while experts insist this is “not Covid,” the outbreak has become another reminder that emerging infectious diseases can still pose unexpected global challenges.

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