Hantavirus Outbreak on Luxury Cruise Ship: What You Need to Know

An unusual illness aboard the luxury cruise ship Hondius has brought a little-known family of viruses, hantavirus, to public attention. The virus, usually transmitted from rodents, has caused serious respiratory illness in some passengers. The World Health Organization (WHO) reported seven passengers sick or suspected of having contracted Hantavirus as of Tuesday, including two confirmed cases and five suspected. The WHO stresses the risk to the general public is low, but an investigation is ongoing to identify the source. Three passengers have died, including a 70-year-old Dutch man, his 69-year-old wife, and a German woman. The Dutch man developed symptoms on April 6 and died on April 11; his wife died in a Johannesburg hospital on April 26, and the German woman died on the ship on May 2. Hantaviruses, found mainly in rodents, can be dangerous to humans. Infection often occurs when tiny particles of dried rodent droppings are inhaled. The main route of transmission is through inhaling contaminated dust, but infection can also occur by touching a contaminated surface. The Andean strain, which originates in South America, is of particular interest to infectious disease experts due to the possibility of human-to-human transmission. The incubation period varies depending on the strain. In the early stages, symptoms may resemble a normal viral infection, but can worsen. Diagnosis begins with clinical suspicion. Blood tests from infected individuals may show a decrease in platelets