Three people have died and a British passenger is seriously ill after a suspected hantavirus outbreak on a cruise ship in the Atlantic Ocean. The vessel, MV Hondius, operated by Oceanwide Expeditions, is currently off the coast of Cape Verde with 149 people onboard.
The victims include a Dutch couple and a German national, though the exact cause of their death is still unconfirmed. However, the World Health Organization (WHO) confirmed that Hantavirus has been identified in the case of the 69-year-old UK passenger, who is now in intensive care in Johannesburg.
According to the cruise operator, two crew members are also showing respiratory symptoms, BBC reported.
As the incident has led to a fresh spotlight over the virus, the WHO has also issued a factsheet to spread awareness about its causes, symptoms and other aspects. Here are those details.
About Hantavirus:
Hantaviruses are viruses carried by rodents and can infect humans. People usually catch them by touching infected rodents or their urine, droppings or saliva, the WHO said. These infections can be serious and sometimes deadly. They can cause a severe lung illness and affect the kidneys and can lead to haemorrhagic fever.
“In the Americas, infection has been known to lead to hantavirus cardiopulmonary syndrome (HCPS), a rapidly progressive condition affecting the lungs and heart, while in Europe and Asia hantaviruses has been known to haemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS), which primarily affects the kidneys and blood vessels,” it explained.
ALSO READ || Hantavirus Outbreak on Cruise Ship Leaves Three Dead, WHO Says
Hantavirus Symptoms And Treatment:
In humans, the symptoms usually appear one to six weeks after exposure. Early signs may include fever, headache, muscle aches, and stomach problems such as abdominal pain, nausea, or vomiting. In some cases of HCPS, the illness can worsen quickly. It may lead to coughing, breathing difficulty, and fluid buildup in the lungs. In HFRS, later stages can cause low blood pressure, bleeding problems and kidney failure, which can be life-threatening.
“There is no licensed specific antiviral treatment or vaccine for hantavirus infection. Care is supportive and focuses on close clinical monitoring and management of respiratory, cardiac and kidney complications. Early access to intensive care, when clinically indicated, improves outcomes, particularly for patients with hantavirus cardiopulmonary syndrome,” according to the WHO.
Hantavirus Fatalities:
Hantavirus infections are rare worldwide but can be serious, the WHO warned. It said that the death rates range from under 1% to 15% in Asia and Europe and up to 50% in the Americas. Each year, an estimated 10,000 to over 1,00,000 cases occur, mostly in Asia and Europe. China is one of the nations where many cases are reported. In the Americas, while the cases are fewer, the disease is more severe and often fatal.
Essential Business Intelligence, Continuous LIVE TV, Sharp Market Insights, Practical Personal Finance Advice and Latest Stories — On NDTV Profit.