New positive for Hantavirus confirmed among quarantined Spaniards
Madrid, May 26
The Spanish Ministry of Health confirmed a new positive case of hantavirus among the 14 Spaniards who were among the passengers of the cruise ship MV Hondius affected by an outbreak of the disease while crossing the Atlantic Ocean in April.
The 14 Spanish nationals from the vessel were evacuated from the island of Tenerife in a tightly controlled operation on May 10 and have since remained in preventive quarantine at Madrid's Gomez Ulla Central Defence Hospital.
The latest positive case was detected during routine PCR testing conducted under the isolation and control system already in place, according to the ministry.
The patient, currently asymptomatic, has been transferred to the hospital's High-Level Isolation Unit (UATAN), where he remains under specialized medical supervision and strict biosafety protocols, the ministry said.
The detection of this new case does not alter the risk level for the general population or alter the epidemiological response measures currently in place, the ministry added.
It is the second Spaniard to test positive after arriving in Madrid, with the first patient reported to be recovering favorably after showing symptoms, Xinhua news agency reported.
According to the WHO, Hantaviruses are zoonotic viruses that naturally infect rodents and are occasionally transmitted to humans. Infection in people can result in severe illness and often death, although the diseases vary by type of virus and geographical location. In the Americas, infection has been known to lead to hantavirus cardiopulmonary syndrome (HCPS), a rapidly progressive condition affecting the lungs and heart, while in Europe and Asia hantaviruses have been known to cause haemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS), which primarily affects the kidneys and blood vessels.
While there is no specific treatment that cures hantavirus diseases, early supportive medical care is key to improve survival and focuses on close clinical monitoring and management of respiratory, cardiac and kidney complications. Prevention depends largely on reducing contacts between people and infected rodents.
— IANS
Reader Comments
This is scary. Hantavirus is not something we hear about often in India, but it shows how global travel can bring rare diseases anywhere. Hope all those quarantined recover well. 🙏
As an American living in India, I'm glad Spain is taking this seriously. The WHO data shows how different hantavirus strains affect people differently - from heart/lung issues in Americas to kidney problems in Europe. Good to see they're monitoring closely.
I read that this virus comes from rodents. The fact that these passengers were on a cruise ship makes me wonder about sanitation conditions. Hope our ports in Mumbai and Chennai have similar protocols for cruise arrivals. 🐭
It's good that the new case is asymptomatic. But why were they only tested now? Shouldn't PCR testing be done immediately on arrival? India's experience with COVID shows early detection is critical. Still, Spain's isolation unit sounds very advanced.
Having studied zoonotic diseases in my public health course, I know hantavirus can be deadly if not caught early. The fact that Spain has a High-Level Isolation Unit (UATAN) is impressive. India needs such specialized facilities too, especially in our major cities. 😔
This reminds me of the N
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