Three dead in suspected #hantavirus infection #outbreak on cruise #ship: #WHO (UN News Centre, May 4 '26)

Three people have died and three others are ill following suspected cases of hantavirus infection on a cruise ship in the Atlantic, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Sunday.

WHO is supporting the response, noting that one case of the rodent-borne disease has been confirmed so far and there are five additional suspected cases.  Detailed investigations are ongoing, including further laboratory testing.

Of the six people affected, three have died and one is currently in intensive care in South Africa. 

“Medical care and support are being provided to passengers and crew. Sequencing of the virus is also ongoing,” WHO said in a statement posted on X.

Rapid action critical

In a separate tweet, WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the agency “is facilitating medical evacuation of two symptomatic passengers, conducting a full risk assessment, and supporting affected people onboard.”

He stressed that “rapid, coordinated action is critical to contain risks and protect public health.”

Hantavirus infection is a rare disease linked to infected rodent droppings or urine that can cause life-threatening respiratory problems. 

The cruise liner—operated by a Dutch company—left Argentina three weeks ago and was ultimately heading for the Canary Islands but is currently sitting off the coast of Cabo Verde in West Africa, according to media reports.

WHO has also informed its National Focal Points in accordance with the International Health Regulations, the 2005 treaty that outlines countries' rights and obligations in managing public health risks, events and emergencies that could potentially cross borders.

A public notice also will be issued.

Source: 

Link: https://news.un.org/en/story/2026/05/1167431

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Three dead on #hantavirus - hit cruise #ship (RTHK, May 4 '26)

 

{Excerpt}

Three people have died on a cruise ship in the Atlantic, the World Health Organisation said on Sunday, one a confirmed case of hantavirus – an illness usually transmitted to humans from rodents.

The outbreak occurred on the MV Hondius, travelling from Ushuaia in Argentina to Cape Verde.

"To date, one case of hantavirus infection has been laboratory confirmed, and there are five additional suspected cases," the WHO told AFP.

"Of the six affected individuals, three have died and one is currently in intensive care in South Africa."

(...)

Source: 

Link: https://news.rthk.hk/rthk/en/component/k2/1853432-20260504.htm

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Virological characterization of a new isolated strain of #Andes virus involved in recent person-to-person #transmission #outbreak reported in #Argentina

Abstract

On November 2, 2018, a person-to-person transmission outbreak of Andes virus (Orthohantavirus andesense) began in the small town of Epuyén, Argentina. The strain demonstrated a high capacity for sustained transmission among the human population requiring the implementation of quarantine measures, rigorous contact tracing, isolation of close contacts, and active clinical monitoring to prevent further spread. In this study, we report the isolation of this strain, which we name the ARG-Epuyén strain, directly from a clinical sample after just three passages in cell culture. Complete sequencing revealed only a single amino acid change post-isolation, suggesting that this strain can be considered a non-adapted wild-type Andes virus, marking a critical step toward the development of medical countermeasures against this emerging pathogen. The pathogenicity and transmissibility potential of ARG-Epuyén were evaluated in hamsters, the only animal model for Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome. Additionally, this strain was compared with Andes/ARG, an ANDV strain previously isolated from the same geographical area in the Argentinian Patagonia, from a rodent specimen. Our findings revealed high infectiousness and efficient hamster-to-hamster transmission through direct contact experiments, although ARG-Epuyén appeared to be less pathogenic than Andes/ARG.

Source: PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases, https://journals.plos.org/plosntds/article?id=10.1371/journal.pntd.0013205

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