Health officials are concerned about another COVID-like outbreak of the Hantavirus following the death of three passengers on board the cruise ship MV Hondius traveling from Argentina to Spain’s Canary Islands. As per the latest updates, five cases of hantavirus have been confirmed among those traveling on the MV Hondius, with three deaths confirmed.
The cruise, which set sail from Argentina a month ago, is expected to dock at the Canary Islands soon, even as those who traveled on the ship have been monitored wherever they’ve disembarked, as per standard World Health Organization (WHO) protocol.
What is Hantavirus and how is it different from COVID?
Hantavirus is spread mostly by rodents (rats, mice and voles) through animal-to-human infections from urine, feces or saliva of infected rodents, or by breathing ‘aerosolized’ dust contaminated with these waste products.
Though Hantavirus has a very high fatality rate (about35-40%), transmission isn’t that easy, as only people who are in contact with rodents or work in environments with a high presence of these rodents are vulnerable. This is unlike COVID-19, which was easily transmittable through airborne contact, necessitating lockdowns worldwide.
Hantavirus vs. COVID-19: Key Differences
| Feature | Hantavirus (Andes Strain) | COVID-19 (SARS-CoV-2) |
| Primary Source | Rodents | Humans |
| Transmission | Difficult (Fluid/Close Contact) | Easy (Airborne/Respiratory) |
| Fatality Rate | Very High (up to 35-40%) | Low (approx. 1-2%) |
| Mutation Rate | Stable | Highly Adaptive (Variants) |
| Pandemic Potential | Low | High |
What led to the Hantavirus outbreak on the MV Hondius?
Though investigations are ongoing, there are various possibilities cited, including rodent contamination on the ship itself, especially on the ship’s storage areas. According to Associate Prof Vinod Balasubramaniam, a molecular virologist at Monash University Malaysia, the passengers or crew ‘could have been exposed to the virus during land-based activities.’
The cruise had been visiting remote wildlife areas, and experts believe that could be the source of the infection. With the outbreak attributable to the Andes strain of Hantavirus, earlier outbreaks have confirmed this theory, though nothing can be said for sure until the investigation results are out.
Worldwide concern and precautions
With the vessel now at the last leg of its cruise, health authorities across several countries are racing to contain an outbreak. Three people- including a German national and a Dutch couple- have died from the infection, while the rest sailing on the vessel- totaling 146 people (including 2 Indians) are under ‘strict precautionary measures’.
For now, the risk of another COVID-like epidemic remains low, given the slow pace of infections. Treatment options for Hantavirus remain limited, even as there are about 1,50,000 cases attributed to the virus each year, according to the American Society for Microbiology.
