© Unsplash/F. Jorge Passengers with hantavirus on a ship in the Atlantic Ocean may have become infected before boarding the cruise ship. Hantavirus on board a ship in the Atlantic: WHO does not rule out human-to-human transmission Health
Passengers with hantavirus on a ship in the Atlantic Ocean may have become infected before boarding the cruise, and person-to-person transmission on board cannot be ruled out – although this is rare. This was announced on Tuesday by the World Health Organization (WHO).
The deadly disease outbreak has sparked an international public health response. According to WHO Acting Director for Epidemic and Pandemic Preparedness and Prevention Maria Van Kerkhove, out of 147 passengers and crew members, seven people fell ill and three died. She noted that the situation is developing dynamically. “One patient is in the intensive care unit in South Africa, however, according to our information, his condition is improving,” she noted. Two more patients on board the ship off the coast of Cape Verde are being prepared for medical evacuation to the Netherlands for treatment.
Disinfection on board
Van Kerkhove said that as a precaution, passengers were asked to remain in their cabins while disinfection and other sanitary measures were carried out. Medical teams from Cape Verde are providing care on board. “Our first priority is to medically evacuate these two people,” she stressed, adding that this is necessary to ensure they receive adequate care. There are no other symptomatic patients on board. The third suspected case is a passenger who previously had a mild fever “is currently feeling well,” a WHO spokeswoman said. The ship is due to continue to the Canary Islands. Van Kerkhove noted that the WHO is interacting with the Spanish authorities, who are ready to accept the ship to conduct a full epidemiological investigation, disinfection and risk assessment for passengers. Hantaviruses are carried by rodents and can cause severe illness in humans. It is estimated that thousands of cases of infection are reported each year. Humans typically become infected through contact with infected rodents or their urine, feces, or saliva.
Possible sources of outbreak
Speaking about the possible source of the outbreak, Van Kerkhove said that the first cases – a married couple – boarded a ship in Argentina. “Given the incubation period for hantavirus, which can be anywhere from one to six weeks, we suspect they were infected off the ship,” she said. According to her, we are talking about an expedition ship, where many passengers were engaged in bird and wildlife watching. The liner visited several islands off the coast of Africa, some of which are characterized by a large number of rodents. “It is possible that some other suspected cases may have originated from these islands,” she said. “However, we also believe that person-to-person transmission may have occurred among close contacts, such as spouses and those sharing cabins.” Human-to-human transmission of hantavirus is rare, but limited cases of infection among close contacts have been reported in past outbreaks of Andes virus, a member of the hantavirus family. infectionsThere is no specific treatment for hantavirus infection; supportive therapy is used. “Patients typically develop respiratory symptoms, so respiratory support is extremely important,” Van Kerkhove explained, emphasizing that in some cases mechanical ventilation is required. Addressing the ship’s passengers, who include more than 20 nationalities, she said: “We want you to know that we are working in contact with the ship operator and the countries of origin of the passengers.” “We will help you we hear. “We know you’re scared,” she added. “We are trying to provide the crew and passengers with all the necessary information, provide assistance and, of course, help you return home safe and sound.”