Seven confirmed cases of the rare Andes hantavirus have now been linked to passengers aboard the MV Hondius cruise ship, the World Health Organization (WHO) said, as the outbreak spread across multiple countries and claimed three lives.
The WHO said the total number of reported cases has risen to nine, including seven laboratory-confirmed infections and two classified as "probable cases". One of the probable cases, believed to be the first infected passenger, died before testing could be conducted.
The WHO updated its overall tally of reported cases to nine, after France reported that a French passenger evacuated from the ship had tested positive for the virus.
Which countries are affected
Eight cases have been confirmed and two are listed as "probable," with citizens of six countries affected, according to the WHO and national health authorities.
Netherlands: Two Dutch passengers have died and a third, the ship's doctor, tested positive and was evacuated to the Netherlands.
United Kingdom: Two British nationals have been confirmed infected and one is classed as a "probable" case.
Germany: A German woman died on board on May 2; post-mortem tests confirmed Andes virus infection.
Switzerland: A Swiss man who disembarked in St Helena on April 22 tested positive after arriving in Switzerland.
France: A French woman evacuated from the ship tested positive on May 10.
United States: One of 17 American citizens repatriated from the ship tested "mildly PCR positive" while another had "mild symptoms."
What is hantavirus
Hantavirus cardiopulmonary syndrome is a zoonotic viral respiratory disease caused by hantaviruses. The Andes strain, identified in all confirmed cases, is rare among hantaviruses because it can spread through limited human-to-human transmission, typically requiring close, prolonged contact.
Initial symptoms appear one to eight weeks after exposure and include fever, muscle aches, and stomach issues. The virus can quickly cause severe lung disease with fluid filling the lungs. The death rate can reach up to 50 per cent in severe lung infections, according to the WHO. There is no vaccine or specific cure, only supportive care like rest, fluids and oxygen.
The WHO currently assesses the public health risk related to the cruise ship as moderate, and the global risk as low.
