Captain, most crew members on Hantavirus cruise ship completed quarantine: WHO chief
Geneva, June 23
World Health Organisation Chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, on Tuesday, said that the captain of the Hantavirus-hit ship and most of the crew members have completed their quarantine.
"MV Hondius captain and most of crew members completed their quarantine. More than 600 contacts of those who got sick have been tracked across 33 countries and territories. More than 80% of the contacts have finished their 42-day follow-up period.- Cases are holding steady at 13, including three deaths. We're closing in on ending this outbreak." Ghebreyesus wrote on X.
He thanked Captain Jan Dobrogowski and the crew members of MV Hondius for their leadership in keeping passengers safe.
He also expressed his appreciation to Spain, the Netherlands, Cabo Verde, South Africa and the UK for their critical role in the response.
According to the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), all US citizens potentially exposed to hantavirus aboard the M/V Hondius cruise ship finished their 42-day monitoring period.
Hantavirus is a rare but potentially serious disease typically transmitted through contact with infected rodents. Human-to-human transmission is uncommon, depending on the strain.
The outbreak of the deadly hantavirus was reported on the Dutch-flagged cruise MV Hondium in the Atlantic Ocean on May 2.
WHO has said that the overall risk to the public remains low, and has recommended that all evacuated passengers undergo active health monitoring for 42 days from their last exposure date, either in designated quarantine facilities or at home.
MV Hondius arrived at the Dutch port of Rotterdam on May 18 for disinfection, concluding a voyage.
On May 28, Australian officials extended quarantine of six cruise ship passengers as a precautionary measure to minimise any potential public health risk.
The decision followed confirmation of two additional hantavirus infections overseas involving a crew member and a passenger from the MV Hondius cruise ship.
— IANS
Reader Comments
As someone who works in public health, this is reassuring. But let's not forget—this outbreak started on a cruise ship in the Atlantic. Why aren't there stricter pre-boarding health checks? The cruise industry needs better screening, especially for rare diseases like this. Just my two paise.
Important reminder that global health security is only as strong as the weakest link. India has faced COVID, monkeypox, now this. Kudos to WHO for tracking contacts across 33 countries—that's coordination! But we must invest more in port surveillance. Prevention beats cure every time. 👏
Impressive response from WHO and the involved countries. 80% of contacts finishing a 42-day monitoring period is a solid achievement. But I'm curious—why was the risk deemed 'low' if there were 13 cases and 3 deaths on a single ship? Feels like we're underplaying it. Still, glad it's under control.
Three deaths from such a rare virus is concerning. But I appreciate the transparency from WHO chief Tedros. The tracking of contacts across 33 countries shows how interconnected our world is. For India, this is a wake-up call to strengthen our disease surveillance systems—especially at ports and airports.
Good to know quarantine worked. But seriously, a cruise ship with hantavirus in 2024? Feels like a bad movie plot. The captain deserves credit for keeping passengers safe, but we need better industry standards. Also, why did Australia extend quarantine for only 6 passengers? Seems arbitrary. Just saying.
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.