As reports of a hantavirus outbreak surface, citizens are asking questions about how serious concerns should be.
Health officials say Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome (HPS) is a rare but potentially deadly disease typically spread through contact with infected rodent urine, droppings or saliva, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Recent online attention surrounding the virus grew after reports connected several illnesses and deaths to passengers who had traveled aboard the MV Hondius cruise ship. Reports say multiple people became sick and three people died.
Testing was conducted in South Africa on May 2 that confirmed hantavirus in at least one patient who was critically ill and receiving intensive care.
The outbreak is theorized to have started before the couple, who have now died, boarded the ship.
The couple was reported to have been in Argentina where it is believed they encountered the Andes strain of hantavirus which is naturally found in rodents and considered to be one of the strains known to occasionally spread from person to person. The Andes strain is primarily found in Argentina and Chile.
The ship was carrying 147 passengers and crew. As of May 4, seven cases (two laboratory confirmed cases of hantavirus and five suspected cases) had been identified, including three deaths, one critically ill patient and three individuals reporting mild symptoms. Illness onset occurred between April 6 and April 28 April and was characterized by fever, gastrointestinal symptoms, rapid progression to pneumonia, acute respiratory distress syndrome and shock.
In the context of the current outbreak, passengers and crew members, the World Health Organization advised practicing frequent hand hygiene, remaining vigilant of hantavirus symptoms and undertaking active symptom monitoring for 45 days and to seek medical advice and selfisolation if symptoms appeared. The crew was to ensure adequate environmental cleaning and ventilation in the ship.
Passengers and crew members experiencing symptoms should inform medical professionals on board and self-isolate. If respiratory symptoms are present to practice respiratory etiquette and wear a medical mask.
Vigilance among travelers, crew, including those involved in implementing ship sanitation measures, or other personnel returning from areas where hantavirus is known to be present, as well as on conveyances engaged in eco-tourism on a journey from and through those areas, is essential.
Hantavirus infections are rare in the United States, with typically fewer than 30 cases of Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome (HPS) reported annually. From 1993 through the end of 2023, there have been 890 confirmed, laboratory-verified instances that were primarily concentrated in western states, with 94% to 96% of cases west of the Mississippi River in New Mexico, Colorado, and Arizona.
Health officials say hantavirus is a rare but potentially deadly disease typically spread through contact with infected rodent urine, droppings or saliva, particularly the deer mouse.
Transmission is uncommon and usually requires very close contact, especially among family members or people sharing living spaces.
Early symptoms of the virus can include fever and muscle aches, especially the large muscle group like the thighs, hips, back and sometimes shoulders. About half of patients also experience headaches, dizziness, chills and abdominal problems including nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and stomach pain. In the more severe cases, people can develop difficulty breathing.
Experts say one of the best ways to reduce risk is properly cleaning areas where rodents may have been present. The CDC recommends wearing gloves and a mask while cleaning rodent droppings, urine, nesting materials or dead rodents. People should avoid sweeping or vacuuming contaminated areas directly because it can send virus particles into the air.
Health officials encourage people to focus on prevention awareness rather than panic.