The World Health Organization's Director-General, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, has stated that the threat of deadly hantavirus is currently 'stable for now.' This comes weeks after the rodent-borne illness was first reported on the Dutch cruise ship MV Hondius.
Current Situation
Since the outbreak began, there have been twelve confirmed cases of hantavirus and three related deaths, including a Dutch couple and a German woman. Some American passengers from the ship were quarantined at facilities in the southern United States, where they remain under surveillance. Others who disembarked before the outbreak was reported are being monitored at home.
In a social media post on Sunday, Ghebreyesus wrote: 'All passengers and crew remain in quarantine and under close monitoring to ensure they receive care if needed. The situation is stable for now. We continue to remain vigilant and in close contact with all relevant governments.'
Andes Virus Strain
The strain of virus that spread on the ship is the Andes virus, which is the only known hantavirus strain capable of human-to-human transmission. After all American passengers were returned to the U.S., Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. signed a declaration to 'support the development and deployment of medical countermeasures related to Andes virus.' He noted that this action helps remove barriers to research and response efforts while monitoring the outbreak.
Dr. David Fitter, the incident manager for the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), stated at a news briefing last week that the risk to the general public remains low. 'There are no hantavirus cases among the returned U.S. passengers,' he said. Fitter also mentioned that the majority of the eighteen quarantined passengers would remain at the University of Nebraska through the end of the month, while two others are staying at Emory Hospital in Georgia.
Quarantine Conditions
Some passengers have expressed frustration with the quarantine conditions. Angela Perryman, 47, told The New York Times: 'They are requiring us to remain in a locked facility and threatening us, and denying us the right to home quarantine.' Perryman received a federal order to stay in Nebraska, though she lives in Ecuador and has a home in Florida.
It remains unclear whether passengers will be allowed to leave the quarantine center before the full 42-day period ends. The CDC notes that it can take up to 42 days for hantavirus symptoms to appear after exposure. Dr. Michael Wadman, medical director of Nebraska's national quarantine unit, told The Associated Press that each passenger's case will be evaluated individually.
Transmission and Risks
Dr. Carlos del Rio, International Secretary of the National Academy of Medicine, explained in a Friday statement that scientists do not yet fully understand how the Andes virus transmits between people. 'Evidence suggests transmission requires close or prolonged contact, but there have been outbreaks in which people with relatively limited exposure also became infected. Fortunately, these outbreaks have remained small and relatively contained,' he said.
Initial infection occurs through exposure to urine, droppings, or saliva of infected rodents. Early symptoms of Andes virus are flu-like but can progress to difficulty breathing and fluid in the lungs. The mortality rate can be as high as 50 percent, depending on access to care. However, hantavirus cases are rare in the U.S., typically occurring in rural areas of the Southwest. Del Rio emphasized that hantavirus does not spread as easily as COVID-19, fundamentally limiting its pandemic potential.
