Could Hantavirus lead to another Covid-like pandemic?

The virus outbreak on the Dutch vessel sailing across the Atlantic won’t start a pandemic, the UN health agency has said.

Hantavirus, the viral illness that killed three people and infected five others on a luxury cruise MV Hondius carrying about 150 passengers, has been under the radar of World Health Organisation (WHO) and being monitored for its transmission rate among the people on board and for its risk to public health.

While primarily caused by rodents, this was the first instance where the transmission of the virus was observed between humans.

As of now, three people succumbed to the rodent-caused illness: a Dutch couple and a German woman who fell sick and died. 

Three people, including the ship’s doctor were medically evacuated when the vessel took a halt at Cape Verde (West African island country). 

Reportedly, one case has been traced to Switzerland after the affected man who disembarked the vessel at St Helena had travelled there.

Out of eight people, five have been confirmed to be affected by Hantavirus, particularly by the Andes strain, known for its transmission between people.

Operated by Netherland’s Oceanwide Expeditions, the Dutch vessel which departed from Ushuaia in Argentina on April 1 is scheduled to reach Spain’s Canary Islands on May 10.

Should people be worried?

Holding a news briefing, Maria van Kerkhove, an infectious disease epidemiologist at the World Health Organization (WHO) said though Hantavirus has caused panic among the mob, it is not the same as Covid-19. Unlike other viruses, it primarily spreads through rodents and in this case, it still requires an ‘intimate contact’ with the other person to contract the disease.

Also, the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) Director General Tedros Ghebreyesus stated that the public health risk for the disease remains low. 

The body of the deceased, the Dutch man who died of the illness, has been taken off the vessel, he informed.

As per the WHO representative, the first two people who contracted the disease went through Argentina, Chile and Uruguay and visited many wildlife rich places.

As per experts, the deceased could have contracted the disease from these exotic locations or it could have spread through rodents present on the ship.

The global health watchdog has, however, cautioned against the emergence of more cases as the incubation period of the disease can be up to six weeks.

According to a report by BBC, Hantavirus is a family of viruses and not a single pathogen and has 20 viral species, most of which are transmitted through droppings, urine and secretions of infected rodents.

The strain Andes traced in the passengers is the only exception that can rarely spread between people, though through a very close contact. 

Interestingly, this strain is mostly found in Argentina and Chile.

For now, all medical authorities have assumed its spread limited to very close contact, and in this case, not beyond the ship.

Medical doctors are asking people to practice caution in places rich in rodents, particularly to avoid exposure to their droppings or getting a bite or scratch from them.

Two Indian nationals are also among the crew aboard on the Dutch vessel.