The World Health Organisation on Thursday provided reassurances about the hantavirus outbreak on a cruise ship, stating that the spread is expected to be limited but cautioned that additional cases could emerge. Warning that more infections were "possible," the WHO added that the outbreak on the vessel in the Atlantic is anticipated to be "limited."
"We believe this will be a limited outbreak if the public health measures are implemented and solidarity shown across all countries," said Abdi Rahman Mahamud, WHO's emergency alert and response director, as quoted by AFP.
Further dismissing concerns that this outbreak could become similar to Covid-19, WHO epidemic and pandemic preparedness and prevention director Maria Van Kerkhove assured, "This is not the start of an epidemic. This is not the start of a pandemic. This is not Covid."
The health organisation also announced that it has dispatched 2,500 hantavirus diagnostic kits to laboratories in five countries.
In a related development, a second patient from the cruise ship outbreak has tested positive for hantavirus, a hospital in the Netherlands confirmed. The Leiden University Medical Centre stated that the diagnosis was verified and communicated to the patient, who consented to the disclosure. Earlier, the Radboud University Medical Centre in the Netherlands had also confirmed another cruise ship patient under its care had tested positive, adding to the growing number of cases linked to the MV Hondius outbreak.
How Did the Outbreak Happen?
The outbreak aboard the MV Hondius cruise ship is believed to have started when a passenger contracted the rare Andes strain of hantavirus during travel in Ushuaia, Argentina, possibly during a birdwatching excursion before boarding the vessel. Health investigators suspect that the infection then spread onboard during the ship's voyage across the Atlantic through close contact among passengers.
Authorities report that three passengers have died and several others have been infected or tested positive across multiple countries, with cases reported among travellers who later disembarked in Europe and beyond. The Andes strain is unusual because, unlike most hantaviruses that spread through rodents, it can in rare cases transmit between humans under prolonged close contact.
The WHO continues to monitor the situation and coordinate with international health authorities to contain the outbreak and prevent further spread.
