A hantavirus outbreak has spread beyond a cruise ship, with reports that one exposed passenger may have returned to Australia.Three patients suspected of Hantavirus infection have been evacuated from a cruise ship off the west coast of Africa, with 146 people remaining aboard including four Australians.
A deadly virus outbreak aboard a remote expedition cruise has begun spilling beyond the ship, and with passengers now back in multiple countries, reportedly including Australia, questions are mounting over whether the threat could spread further.
At the centre of concern is hantavirus, a rare but potentially fatal disease with a mortality rate of up to 40 per cent.
While typically spread through contact with rodent droppings, health authorities believe this particular outbreak may involve a strain capable of human-to-human transmission, raising the stakes significantly.
The outbreak began aboard the MV Hondius, a Dutch-operated expedition vessel travelling through South America. The cruise, which set sail from Ushuaia in Argentina on April 1 destined for Cape Verde, counted 88 passengers and 59 crew members, with 23 nationalities onboard.
Since then, at least three passengers have died, and several others have fallen seriously ill, with the ship now anchored off Cape Verde as authorities attempt to contain the situation.
But the bigger concern may lie beyond the vessel itself.
How many people have been exposed?
At least 23 passengers disembarked during a scheduled stop at Saint Helena in April, unaware they had potentially been exposed to the virus, and have since returned home to countries around the world, including Australia.
“There are 23 people wandering around there, and until three days ago, no one had contacted them,” a passenger still aboard the ship told Spanish newspaper El Pais.
“The Australian went back to Australia, the one from Taiwan to Taiwan, the Americans to all corners of North America. The Englishman to England, the Dutch to their homes… I don’t remember the rest.”
“The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade is aware of four Australians aboard the MV Hondius,” DFAT told The Nightly.
“DFAT is not aware of any Australians affected by the reported hantavirus outbreak. Owing to privacy obligations we are unable to comment further.
“DFAT stands ready to provide consular assistance if required.”
Swiss health authorities confirmed that one returning passenger has tested positive for hantavirus after arriving home from the cruise. The man initially tested negative before later revealing a confirmed diagnosis, highlighting concerns around the virus’s incubation period, which can stretch up to eight weeks.
That delay has complicated international efforts to track and contain the outbreak.
“International contact tracing is ongoing. Passengers who disembarked from the ship were informed of the hantavirus case by the ships’ operators and asked to report any signs and symptoms,” a World Health Organisation representative said.
“Working with national authorities and the ship’s operators, our teams have built a list of who was where when, in order to ensure that any potential exposure is documented and people can get help if they develop symptoms,” the rep said.
“This contact tracing also helps to contain any potential spread.”
Oceanwide Expeditions continues to provide updates on the evolving crisis, “The first of two medicalised aircraft, carrying two of the three individuals transferred from m/v Hondius earlier today has landed in the Netherlands. The two individuals on board have been received by specialist medical and screening teams. The second medicalised aircraft carrying the third individual is currently experiencing a delay.”
Investigators now believe the outbreak may have originated from a couple who boarded the ship after visiting a landfill site in Ushuaia, Argentina, to take part in birdwatching, where they may have been exposed to infected rodents. Both later died.
The suspected strain, known as the Andes virus, is particularly concerning due to its rare ability to spread between humans, a factor that has prompted urgent international monitoring.
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