Hantavirus cruise ship outbreak raises U.S. spread concerns: what to know
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While investigations into the hantavirus outbreak that occurred on the expedition ship MV Hondius continue, concerns about the prevalence of the virus in the USA are increasing.
According to the World Health Organization and subsequent health reports, there were three deaths among passengers of the ship traveling across the Atlantic from Argentina, and at least eight cases were reported, many of them laboratory-confirmed.
According to reports, at least five states, including Texas, Virginia, Georgia, Arizona and California, are monitoring residents returning from the MV Hondius.
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There have historically been around 800 to 900 cases of hantavirus in the United States, according to Luis Marcos, professor of medicine and director of the Infectious Diseases Fellowship Program at Stony Brook Medicine in New York.
CDC data supports this and shows that 890 cases of hantavirus disease were reported in the United States from 1993 to the end of 2023.
While investigations into the hantavirus outbreak that occurred on the expedition ship MV Hondius continue, concerns about the prevalence of the virus in the USA are increasing. (iStock)
“Most of these cases were west of the Mississippi River, and classically the risk factors were contact with rodent feces and urine,” Marcos told Fox News Digital.
The most common type is Sin Nombre, which is not transmitted from person to person, the doctor said.
“The transmission is not as effective as other viruses.”
Most types of hantavirus are spread by inhaling contaminated particles in rodent urine, feces, or saliva or, less commonly, by touching contaminated surfaces and then touching the mouth, nose, or eyes, and are not transmitted from person to person.
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Typical scenarios include people camping or hiking in remote areas and unintentionally coming into contact with this feces or urine.
“The only proven human-to-human transmission was with the Andean virus from South America, and that’s what’s happening right now,” Marcos told Fox News Digital.
There have been three deaths among passengers of the ship traveling across the Atlantic from Argentina, and at least eight cases have been reported, many of them laboratory-confirmed. (Getty Images)
The current cruise ship outbreak reportedly stemmed from a couple who contracted the virus while traveling in Argentina.
“He was not symptomatic at all; the incubation period could be one, two, three or four weeks,” Marcos said.
Most types of hantavirus are spread by inhaling contaminated particles in rodent urine, feces, or saliva. (iStock)
Most infected people become ill with symptoms similar to flu and Covid-19, such as fever and muscle aches.
“Some people may have mild disease, so not everyone will be very, very sick,” the doctor said.
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The doctor noted that in rare cases, hantavirus can lead to hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS), which causes the lungs to fill with fluid and can be fatal.
“Mortality [among those with HPS] Between 30% and 60%, so yes, it is a deadly virus,” the doctor added.
In terms of transmission, Marcos emphasized that those at highest risk are people in “close contact,” which often means living in the same environment where fluid exchange can occur.
“The longest incubation period was around 56 days.”
“It has to be really close contact,” he said. “The transmission is not as effective as other viruses.”
Although it is possible for the virus to be transmitted through the air through droplets, Marcos pointed out that these transmissions are not as “effective” as Covid-19, flu or cold viruses.
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“It is important for people to stay in quarantine for a while for this trip,” he said.
The virus has a long incubation period, meaning the quarantine period will likely be several weeks. “The longest incubation period was about 56 days, so roughly two months,” Marcos said. he said. “But most cases will get sick within two to three weeks.”
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There is currently no antiviral treatment available for hantavirus.
“So the patient will be hospitalized. We’ll do supportive care, so if your lungs are filled with fluid, you’ll need a ventilator until we know the virus has run its course,” Marcos said.
“We will do supportive care, so if your lungs are filled with fluid, you will need a ventilator until we know the virus has run its course,” the doctor said. (iStock)
Although there is currently no vaccine for hantavirus in the United States, Marcos noted that several are in development.
The doctor said he believes the risk of hantavirus causing a pandemic is “pretty much zero.”
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“I don’t feel a strong risk of an outbreak,” he told Fox News Digital. “The contagion is not like COVID. It’s very different.”
“I really think this will go away in the next two to three weeks and we will know the exact number of cases,” he added.
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To prevent hantavirus, Marcos recommends wearing gloves and a mask in environments where mice may be present, such as when cleaning basements.
Proper ventilation and frequent hand washing can also help prevent spread.
