A 70-year-old Greek passenger has been linked to the hantavirus outbreak aboard the expedition cruise ship MV Hondius, where a cluster of infections has left three people dead.
Greece’s National Public Health Organization, known as EODY, contacted the passenger after receiving his details from the World Health Organization. The man is a retired 70-year-old who does not permanently live in Greece.
Eight hantavirus cases reported on Hondius as Greek passenger identified
Health authorities have so far recorded eight suspected or confirmed hantavirus cases linked to the vessel. Three of them have been confirmed through laboratory testing.
In addition to the three deaths, one patient remains in intensive care in South Africa, while another is receiving treatment in a hospital in Switzerland.
Authorities are now examining how the infections occurred. Investigators are trying to determine whether passengers were exposed to a common source, such as infected rodents, or whether limited person-to-person transmission may have taken place.
Andes strain raises transmission concerns
The patients tested positive for the Andes virus, a hantavirus strain mainly found in South America. This strain has drawn particular attention because it is the only known hantavirus that can spread from person to person, although such transmission remains rare.
Investigators have not ruled out that possibility in this case. Dr. Maria Van Kerkhove, the World Health Organization’s director for epidemic and pandemic preparedness, said several of those infected had been in very close contact with one another. As a result, health officials cannot dismiss human-to-human transmission at this stage.
Hantavirus explained after Hondius outbreak
Hantavirus is a family of viruses carried by rodents. People usually become infected when they breathe in particles from rodent urine, droppings, or saliva, especially in enclosed or contaminated areas where rodents have been active.
The virus can cause different severe illnesses depending on the region. In Europe and Asia, it can lead to hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome, which mainly affects the kidneys. In the Americas, it can cause hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, a serious disease that attacks the lungs.
Fatality rates vary significantly. In Asia and Europe, they range from below 1 percent to 15 percent. In the Americas, hantavirus pulmonary syndrome can be far more deadly, with mortality rates reaching up to 50 percent.
Hantavirus symptoms and treatment in Hondius case involving greek passenger
Hantavirus infection often begins with flu-like symptoms, including fever, chills, muscle aches, and fatigue. As the illness progresses, some patients develop severe breathing problems and fluid buildup in the lungs. In the most serious cases, the infection can lead to organ failure. Symptoms may appear one to eight weeks after exposure.
Doctors do not currently have an approved antiviral treatment for hantavirus pulmonary syndrome. Instead, they provide supportive care, including oxygen, fluid management, and mechanical ventilation in severe cases. Patients with serious symptoms need rapid transfer to an intensive care unit, since early medical intervention can play a critical role in survival.
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