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A Hantavirus outbreak aboard the cruise vessel Hondius has led to three deaths. Passengers from the vessel have been quarantined, and those suspected of infection are being monitored in isolation.
Vessel HONDIUS, image credit: Christopher R Irvine
The Hondius, a Dutch-flagged cruise ship, operated by Oceanwide Expeditions departed from Ushuaia, Argentina, on a transatlantic voyage to Cape Verde, carrying 149 passengers from 23 countries. The ship has a crew from the Philippines, Ukraine, the Netherlands, Poland, and 2 Indians.
In the outbreak of the disease ,eight fell ill with five confirmed infections and three fatalities have been reported among passengers who were aboard the vessel. They include a 70-year-old Dutch national who died on 11 April aboard the ship, his wife, who died on 26 April in South Africa after disembarking, and a German woman who died on 2 May aboard the vessel.
The ship was anchored in Praia, Cape Verde, but passengers were not permitted to disembark. Strict isolation and hygiene protocols remain in place on board. The ship is now sailing towards Canary Island with an estimated time of arrival of 10 May.
Hantavirus is a group of viruses carried by rodents such as rats and mice. It can cause severe illness in humans. The primary route of infection is inhalation of airborne particles from the urine or droppings of infected rodents. Human-to-Human transmission is rare.
Once contracted, the virus can cause a rapidly progressing cardiac and pulmonary condition with a mortality rate of around 50%. There is no specific vaccine or antiviral treatment; care is supportive only, typically involving oxygen therapy and mechanical ventilation.
On 24 April, thirty passengers disembarked at the remote South Atlantic island of Saint Helena. Several critical cases were air-evacuated to Europe this week.
Fuente: marinetraffic_maritimenews
