Nations worldwide are in a critical race against time, meticulously tracking dozens of individuals who disembarked from the MV Hondius cruise ship before a hantavirus outbreak was detected. The global effort also extends to identifying anyone who has since had close contact with them, escalating concerns over potential further spread.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has confirmed six cases of hantavirus following the outbreak on the MV Hondius, tragically resulting in one fatality. Investigations are ongoing for two additional deaths, yet to be confirmed as hantavirus-related. Reassuringly, the WHO has stated this outbreak does not signal the beginning of a pandemic akin to Covid-19, noting that the Andes strain of hantavirus spreads through “close and intimate contact,” rather than widespread airborne transmission. However, given the disease’s incubation period can stretch up to six weeks, the WHO anticipates the possibility of more cases being reported in the coming weeks.
Luxury cruise operator Oceanwide Expeditions, responsible for the MV Hondius, reported that 178 passengers and crew members from 28 countries were aboard the vessel. A total of 32 guests disembarked on St Helena Island on April 24, a crucial detail for the ongoing contact tracing efforts. The ship commenced its journey on April 1 from Ushuaia, Argentina, with an anticipated arrival in the Canary Islands, Spain, by May 10. Oceanwide Expeditions has proactively released a detailed timeline of when crew and guests disembarked at various port calls, aiding the international health response.
Hantavirus typically originates from rodents, with human infection occurring when individuals inhale air contaminated with viral particles from rodent urine, droppings, or saliva. While human-to-human transmission is rare, the Andes strain responsible for this outbreak is an exception, making the contact tracing especially urgent. This marks the first known instance of the virus being transmitted within a cruise ship, a significant development confirmed by the WHO on Thursday (May 7).
The WHO is actively communicating with officials from at least 12 countries, collaborating to monitor their citizens who were either on board the MV Hondius or have since returned home. These countries include Canada, Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Singapore, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Despite an expert telling the BBC that the response to the outbreak has been “highly chaotic and uncoordinated,” the overall risk to the general public remains low.
Here’s what is currently known about the countries impacted by the hantavirus outbreak:
United Kingdom
Three UK nationals are suspected of being infected with hantavirus. Seven UK citizens disembarked from the MV Hondius in St Helena on April 24, prior to the first hantavirus case being confirmed on May 4. Four others remained on board. One patient, a crew member, is currently on Tristan da Cunha, where the ship made a stop on April 13. Two other UK men have confirmed infections. Martin Anstee, a 56-year-old retired police officer, is in stable condition in the Netherlands after being evacuated from the ship on Wednesday (May 6). Another individual is receiving intensive care after being flown to South Africa, though they are not displaying symptoms. Medical personnel are being dispatched to the islands to provide support. Additionally, two other UK citizens are voluntarily self-isolating at home in the UK after potential exposure, reporting no symptoms. Currently, three crew members and 19 passengers from the UK were on the vessel.
United States
Health agencies across five US states are actively monitoring individuals who were on the ship: two each in Georgia and Texas, one each in Arizona and Virginia, and an unspecified number in California, according to BBC’s US partner, CBS News. None of these individuals have exhibited symptoms, as confirmed by the US Department of Health. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has classified this hantavirus outbreak as a “level 3” emergency response, its lowest tier. There were 17 US passengers aboard the MV Hondius.
Argentina
Before boarding the cruise ship on April 1, a Dutch passenger couple observed birds in Argentina, Chile, and Uruguay. They reportedly visited locations known to host rat species that carry the Andes strain of hantavirus, according to the WHO. While the exact source of the outbreak remains unconfirmed, the Argentinian government is investigating whether the initial infection originated within the country. One Argentinian passenger remains on board the ship.
Cape Verde
The MV Hondius was denied permission to dock in Cape Verde, an archipelago west of the African continent. The ship remained offshore for several days before continuing its voyage towards the Canary Islands on Wednesday (May 6).
France
The French Ministry of Health has identified eight French citizens who had contact with the Dutch woman who tragically died from hantavirus on a flight from Saint Helena to Johannesburg. One of these individuals is showing mild symptoms, with test results currently pending, the ministry stated on Thursday (May 7). Other French nationals have been offered isolation measures and testing. Five French citizens, who were passengers on the MV Hondius, are still on the ship.
Germany
One of the deceased individuals was a German passenger. According to the WHO, she initially developed a fever on April 28, later progressing to pneumonia symptoms. Five German guests and one German crew member are still on board the vessel.
Netherlands
A total of 13 people on the ship were Dutch nationals, including eight passengers and five crew members. Of the three deaths reported so far, two were a Dutch couple. The wife tested positive for hantavirus and passed away in South Africa. Another Dutch woman was hospitalized in Amsterdam after exhibiting possible hantavirus symptoms, the country’s health ministry reported on Thursday (May 7). Dutch media outlet RTL stated that the woman was a KLM flight attendant who had been in contact with the woman who died from hantavirus in Johannesburg. However, on Friday (May 8), a WHO official informed CBS News that her test results for the virus were negative.
Philippines
Thirty-eight individuals from the Philippines were part of the MV Hondius crew. Currently, no hantavirus cases have been recorded in the Philippines, and officials have emphasized that the risk remains “very low.”
Spain
The MV Hondius is anticipated to dock in Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain, on Saturday (May 9) local time. The Spanish government has approved this measure, though the head of the Canary Islands government has publicly opposed the plan. “I cannot allow that [ship] to enter the Canary Islands,” Fernando Clavijo told Spanish radio station Onda Cero, citing a lack of technical criteria and insufficient information. Upon arrival in Tenerife, all non-Spanish citizens will be repatriated to their respective countries if they are healthy. The 13 Spanish passengers and one Spanish crew member, however, will be quarantined in a military hospital in Madrid. Residents in Tenerife have expressed concerns about the ship’s arrival, with one resident stating, “I don’t think this is a good idea… but people do need help.” On mainland Spain, a suspected hantavirus case has been detected in Alicante. The case involves a woman who was a passenger on the same flight as the patient who died in Johannesburg after contracting the virus on the cruise ship, Spain’s Health Minister Javier Padilla confirmed on Friday (May 8).
Switzerland
A Swiss man who disembarked from the cruise ship in Saint Helena has tested positive for the Andes strain of hantavirus, according to Swiss health officials and the WHO. The man experienced symptoms and underwent testing in Zurich, where he is currently receiving treatment, officials confirmed on Wednesday (May 6).
Other Countries
The diverse crew members on board the MV Hondius include five Ukrainians, one Russian, one Portuguese, one Pole, one Montenegrin, two Indians, and one Guatemalan. Passengers include four Australians, two Belgians, four Canadians, one Greek, two Irish, one Italian, one Japanese, one New Zealander, and three Turks.
- What is hantavirus and how dangerous is it?
- What is the Andes strain of hantavirus that caused the outbreak on a cruise ship?
- Hantavirus outbreak on MV Hondius not the start of a pandemic, says WHO
Summary
Sebuah wabah hantavirus terdeteksi di kapal pesiar MV Hondius, mendorong pelacakan global terhadap puluhan individu yang telah turun dari kapal dan kontak dekat mereka. Organisasi Kesehatan Dunia (WHO) mengonfirmasi enam kasus dan satu kematian akibat wabah ini, dengan dua kematian lainnya masih dalam penyelidikan. Hantavirus strain Andes menyebar melalui “kontak dekat dan intim”, bukan melalui udara, sehingga WHO menyatakan ini bukan awal pandemi seperti Covid-19. Namun, dengan masa inkubasi hingga enam minggu, lebih banyak kasus diperkirakan akan dilaporkan dalam beberapa minggu mendatang.
Kapal MV Hondius membawa 178 penumpang dan kru dari 28 negara, berlayar dari Argentina menuju Spanyol, dengan 32 tamu turun di Pulau St Helena pada 24 April. Upaya pelacakan kontak melibatkan setidaknya 12 negara, karena ini adalah kasus transmisi hantavirus pertama yang diketahui di dalam kapal pesiar. Meskipun ada kekhawatiran dan penolakan berlabuh di beberapa tempat, WHO menegaskan risiko keseluruhan bagi masyarakat umum tetap rendah. Negara-negara seperti Inggris, AS, Swiss, dan Spanyol melaporkan kasus atau sedang memantau warganya secara aktif.