Anna Hartz
Passengers trapped on cruise risk catching disease with death rate of up to 40 percent
Cruise ships are often linked to luxury, travel, and adventure. But when disease spreads in a closed space far from land, the situation can quickly become frightening. Passengers are left waiting in isolation with little certainty about what comes next.
That is now the reality for around 150 passengers aboard the Dutch cruise ship MV Hondius. The vessel is currently near Cape Verde after several cases of hantavirus were discovered on board.
Outbreak leads to three deaths
Two confirmed infections have been reported. Five other people are suspected of carrying the virus. Among the seven people connected to the outbreak, three have died, reports DR. One person is critically ill. Three others have mild symptoms.
Passengers are now isolated inside their cabins while health officials assess the situation. Experts warn that hantavirus can be extremely dangerous. Professor Thea Kølsen Fischer from the University of Copenhagen says the virus can have a death rate of up to 40 percent in severe cases.
The illness often begins like the flu. Patients may develop fever, headaches, and body pain. Later, breathing problems can appear. In serious cases, the lungs become badly affected and patients struggle to breathe.
The virus seen on the ship is believed to be the Andes variant of hantavirus. This form is more aggressive than the versions normally seen in Northern Europe. It usually spreads from rodents such as rats and mice through particles in the air. Human to human transmission is considered rare, but the Andes strain can spread between people.
No specific treatment of hantavirus
The World Health Organization believes one infected person boarded the ship before the cruise began. The disease may then have spread between passengers.
One of the biggest concerns is the long incubation period. Symptoms can take between two and six weeks to appear. In rare situations, it can take up to eight weeks. That means people on board may still become sick later.
Doctors also face another challenge. There is no specific treatment for hantavirus. Medical teams can only support patients by helping them breathe and treating organ failure if it develops.
The ship left Ushuaia three weeks ago on its way to the Canary Islands. Authorities in Cape Verde have refused permission for the ship to dock in the capital Praia.
According to WHO, the current plan is for the vessel to continue toward the Canary Islands. Two sick passengers and another traveler connected to one of the deaths may be evacuated for treatment.
