Authorities confirmed Thursday that some California residents were among the 147 passengers and crew aboard a luxury cruise ship hit by a suspected outbreak of hantavirus, which has killed three people and left several others seriously ill.
California public health officials say they are currently monitoring the situation after being informed by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that some residents of the state were passengers on the MV Hondius. However, the exact status of those individuals remains unclear.
Hantavirus is a rare but deadly disease that attacks the lungs and is usually spread to humans through the inhalation of particles contaminated with the urine, feces or saliva of wild rodents.
However, Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the World Health Organization, said, This was confirmed on Thursday Andes virus – a form of hantavirus that can spread from person to person – was involved in this outbreak.
Here’s what we know.
The MV Hondius cruise ship anchored at a port in Praia, Cape Verde on Wednesday.
(Mispar Apavu/Associated Press)
As its name suggests, Andes virus is commonly found in South America. The Dutch-flagged MV Hondius was on a 46-day voyage that left Antarctica, stopping in Argentina.
In the case of human-to-human transmission, a person would first be infected by contaminated particles from a wild rodent and then transmit the infection to someone else, said Dr. Gabby Frank, director of the Johns Hopkins Special Pathogens Center.
“In previous outbreaks of Andes virus, transmission between people has been associated with close and prolonged contact, particularly between household members, intimate partners and people providing medical care,” Ghebreyesus said. “That seems to be the case as it stands.”
California passengers on cruise
On April 1, 114 guests boarded the cruise ship in Ushuaia, Argentina. Twenty-three days later, 30 passengers – including six from the United States – disembarked at a stop in St. Helena, a remote island about 1,100 miles off the coast of Africa, according to the cruise operator. ocean expedition.
Among those on board was a woman who was accompanying the body of her husband, who had died on 11 April while the ship was at sea in the Atlantic. The ship operator said that at the time, the man’s cause of death could not be determined.
The woman also became ill and died on 27 April.
Public health agencies in California, Georgia, and Arizona were informed by the CDC that some of their residents were among the passengers on the cruise. However, it is not clear whether these individuals disembarked from the ship on 24 April.
California Department of Public Health spokesman Robert Barsanti said the CDC is assisting local health officials in monitoring California residents aboard the cruise. the new York Times. Barsanti did not disclose how many Californians the department is monitoring.
“There is no information that California residents are sick or infected,” Barsanti told The New York Times. “At this time, the risk to public health in California remains low.”
A public health spokeswoman did not immediately respond to The Times’ request for comment Thursday.
one in Statement Wednesday, CDC Said the risk to the American public is “extremely low” at this time.
“We urge all Americans aboard to follow the guidance of health officials as we work to bring you home safely,” the agency said.
Others who walked off the ship on April 24 were individuals from Canada, Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Switzerland, Sweden, Singapore, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Turkey and the United Kingdom.
How many people have been infected?
According to WHO, the number of lab-confirmed hantavirus cases has increased to five. There are three additional suspected cases.
A timeline of reported cases of hantavirus on cruise ships can be found here.
What do we know about hantavirus?
There are about 50 identified species of hantaviruses. According to Frank, the virus found in the US causes cardiopulmonary syndrome, a condition that affects the heart and lungs.
According to Most, there have been 890 laboratory-confirmed cases of hantavirus disease in the US since surveillance began in 1993. Recent data from CDC.
A total of 79 cases of hantavirus have been reported in California between 1993 and 2023. Of those who got infected, 24 died.
CDC officials said that 38% of people who develop respiratory symptoms may die from the disease.
Still, data shows that hantavirus infection is rare, said Dr. Afif Al-Hassan, a member of the national board of directors of the American Lung Association.
There is no vaccine or specific antiviral medication for hantavirus.
According to the American Lung Assn., intensive care treatment may include intubation and oxygen therapy, fluid replacement, and the use of medications to lower blood pressure.
Symptoms of Hantavirus
According to the CDC, the initial symptoms of hantavirus are similar to the flu and include fatigue, fever, and muscle aches. Symptoms begin to develop within one to eight weeks after exposure to an infected rodent.
Half of people infected with the virus also experience headache, dizziness, chills, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and stomach pain.
Four to 10 days after the initial phase of the illness, another round of symptoms may develop, including a cough, shortness of breath, and possible chest tightness due to fluid filling the lungs.
Although hantavirus infection remains a rare occurrence in the U.S., people should take these early symptoms seriously and seek medical care immediately, Al-Hassan said.
how to protect yourself
Hantavirus cases can occur year-round, but the peak seasons in the United States are spring and summer, which coincide with the breeding season of deer mice.
To reduce the risk of infestation, keep wild rodents out of your home and other enclosed spaces by sealing any holes and installing snap traps.
If you find evidence of rats, wear personal protective equipment and disinfect the area. When you’re done, put everything, including the cleaning materials, in a bag and put it in your trash.
