Hantavirus: Human-to-human transmission suspected on board cruise ship, WHO says

Key Points:

• The World Health Organization (WHO) indicated possible human-to-human transmission of hantavirus aboard the MV Hondius cruise ship, where three people have died and several others are ill, but emphasized the risk to the general public remains low.
• The MV Hondius, with nearly 150 people aboard, is anchored off Cape Verde, and efforts are underway to medically evacuate two symptomatic crew members before the ship sails to the Canary Islands for epidemiological investigation and disinfection.
• Seven hantavirus cases have been identified so far, including two confirmed and five suspected; victims include a Dutch couple, a German national who died, and a British national in intensive care in South Africa.
• The outbreak likely originated from exposure off the ship, possibly in Argentina, with the Andes virus strain suspected, which is known for rare human-to-human transmission among close contacts like spouses.
• Hantavirus is rare but deadly, with a fatality rate of about 38% for respiratory cases, and there is no specific treatment beyond supportive care; symptoms progress rapidly from flu-like to severe respiratory distress.