The World Health Organization has confirmed a hantavirus outbreak aboard the cruise ship MV Hondius in the Atlantic Ocean. As of May 8, health officials reported a total of eight suspected cases, with six of those confirmed through laboratory testing as hantavirus infections. All confirmed cases have been identified as being caused by the Andes virus strain.
The outbreak has resulted in three fatalities, marking a 38% fatality rate among the reported cases. The victims include a Dutch couple and a German woman who were passengers on the vessel. The ship, which is flying a Dutch flag and carries approximately 150 people including crew, is currently en route to the Spanish island of Tenerife in the Canary Islands.
The WHO has assessed the global risk from this event as low but has designated the risk for passengers and crew aboard the ship as moderate. Health authorities continue to monitor the situation and will update their risk assessment as needed. Special flights are being arranged to transport passengers and crew members to their home countries after the ship's arrival.
Hantavirus is a rare disease that typically spreads through contact with infected rodents. However, the Andes strain is notably the only known variant capable of person-to-person transmission, which raises particular concern in the confined environment of a cruise ship.
In related news, pharmaceutical company Moderna announced it had already been researching hantavirus vaccines prior to this outbreak. The company's research is in early stages and involves a partnership with the U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases and the Vaccine Innovation Center at Korea University College of Medicine. Moderna stated this work is part of a broader strategy to develop responses against emerging infectious diseases.
Based on reporting from g1.