What is hantavirus, which has caused three deaths on a cruise ship?
The ship where the outbreak has been detected plans to disembark in the Canary Islands
BarcelonaCape Verde has denied entry to a cruise ship with about 150 people on board to protect "national public safety". This is how the African country's authorities have responded to the hantavirus outbreak detected on the tourist vessel, owned by the Dutch company Oceanwide Expeditions, where at least six suspected cases have been detected. Although only one infection has been confirmed so far, three people have lost their lives with compatible symptoms.
The ship left the Argentine port of Ushuaia, was heading to Cape Verde and its final destination was the Canary Islands. In fact, the possibility of disembarking in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria or Tenerife to conduct new medical examinations on the travelers is now being considered. But, what is hantavirus? Does this outbreak worry health authorities?
Hantavirus is the name given to a group of viruses that are mainly transmitted by inhaling particles of urine, feces, or saliva from rodents —such as field mice and voles— that have been previously infected, which is why enclosed or poorly ventilated spaces are a potential source of spread. It is rare for these viruses to spread between people, except in very specific cases with some variants, but if this occurs, it can lead to severe respiratory illnesses, such as the conditions detected on the cruise ship.
was identified at the end of 2024 in BerguedàLow general risk
Initially, the symptoms of a hantavirus are like those of the flu —fever, headache, muscle aches, fatigue, and nausea—, but in severe cases, breathing difficulties, drops in blood pressure, or kidney problems may occur. In the case of New World hantaviruses, Hammer estimates that the fatality rate can rise to 40% in the absence of specialized medical care, while the other group remains around 10%.
The affected cruise ship set sail on March 20 from Argentina, and the route included continental Antarctica, the Falkland Islands, South Georgia Islands, Nightingale Island, and Tristan da Cunha Island. One of the infected individuals was able to disembark in Cape Verde because they required urgent medical attention and were hospitalized in an intensive care unit (ICU).
"Although these diseases are potentially fatal, most hantavirus infections do not progress to this stage of the illness, and this is more likely to occur in people with underlying conditions," adds Liam Brierley, a researcher at the MRC Viral Research Centre at the University of Glasgow.
This is corroborated by epidemiologist Salvador Peiró, from the Research Area in Health Services and Pharmacoeconomics of the Foundation for the Promotion of Health and Biomedical Research of the Valencian Community (FISABIO), who explains that an isolated case of hantavirus is usually detected in rural areas, such as the one that was identified at the end of 2024 in Berguedà. Also in statements to SMC, Peiró assures that "there is no general risk to the population wherever the ship goes".
The same was stated this Monday by Hans Henri P. Kluge, WHO Regional Director for Europe: "The risk to the general population remains low. There is no cause for panic or for imposing travel restrictions".
Regarding the origin of the outbreak, Peiró believes there is a common source of exposure to the virus: either before boarding the ship, as hantavirus takes between two and four weeks between infection and the onset of symptoms, or in some area of the ship contaminated by mouse droppings. However, the long incubation period —from one to eight weeks— could make it difficult, for the moment, to determine exactly when and where the outbreak originated.
A month and a half of travel
After Cape Verde's refusal to allow the ship to dock, the company says preparations are being made for a possible medical repatriation of those affected, but that the disembarkation of passengers, medical evacuation, and medical examinations require the permission and coordination of local health authorities.
Of the 149 people on board, 14 are Spanish passengers. Once ashore, experts explain that all passengers will have to be monitored during the time they may develop symptoms and the ship will have to be cleaned and deratted.