A closer look at Hantavirus — where it comes from, how it spreads, and how to reduce the risk.

A Dutch expedition cruise ship, MV Hondius, remains anchored off the coast of Cape Verde after a hantavirus outbreak reportedly killed three passengers and sickened others among the ship’s 147 passengers and crew.

The vessel, which operates Antarctic expedition routes, may have encountered rodent exposure risks through ports or wildlife-linked environments. WHO experts said the suspected strain is the rare Andes hantavirus, mainly found in parts of Argentina and Chile. Unlike most hantavirus strains, the Andes variant has shown rare cases of limited human-to-human transmission among close contacts.

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Hantaviruses, part of the Bunyavirales order, spread mainly through exposure to infected rodents’ urine, saliva, or droppings and can cause Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome (HPS), a severe respiratory illness. The virus was first identified near the Hantaan River in South Korea, while a major US outbreak occurred in 1993 during the Four Corners incident linked to infected deer mice populations.

Symptoms usually begin within one to eight weeks and include fever, fatigue, muscle aches, headaches, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhoea. Severe cases can lead to coughing, breathing difficulty, fluid-filled lungs, and shock.

There is no specific cure for HPS. Treatment mainly includes oxygen support, ventilation, fluids, and intensive care. Experts say early medical treatment improves survival chances. Harvard Medical School notes that the antiviral drug ribavirin may help some kidney-related hantavirus strains but has not proven effective for lung and heart complications.

Health experts recommend preventing rodent exposure by sealing living spaces, using wet cleaning methods instead of sweeping, maintaining ventilation, practising hand hygiene, and monitoring symptoms for up to 45 days after exposure. WHO officials, including Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, said the overall global risk remains low because hantavirus infections and person-to-person transmission are rare.