List of countries linked to hantavirus as 'patient zero' identified as man who visited rat-infested landfill
Passengers scattered across several countries are reportedly monitored for hantavirus after an outbreak on the MV Hondius claimed the lives of three people.
Hantavirus is extremely rare in humans, but there's recently been a series of confirmed causes onboard a cruise ship that was carrying as many as 150 passengers.
The vessel set sail from Argentina on April 1 and proceeded to stop off at the Sandwich Islands, Tristan da Cunha, St Helena, Ascension Island, and Cape Verde.
While the ship made it to Cape Verde, it never actually docked at Praia as planned as a result of the outbreak. Instead, passengers have been evacuated today (May 10) onto the Spanish island of Tenerife.
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The evacuation comes after the first passenger to die from the illness was named as Leo Schilperoord. His wife whom he'd been traveling around South America with, Mirjam Schilperoord, has also died from the virus.
Authorities suspect that the Dutch couple contracted the Andres strain of hantavirus after visiting a rat-infested landfill, which is sat four miles outside the city of Ushuaia.
The particular spot is reportedly popular with bird-watchers because rare species of Patagonian birds are often seen there.
Argentina is said to be investigating the outbreak that is reported to have originated in the South American country.
Several countries now have possible links to the virus, says The Independent – those being: Argentina, Cape Verde, Netherlands, UK, US, Denmark, Germany, Philippines, Singapore, South Africa, Spain, Switzerland and France.
With this in mind, Dr. Alexandra Wharton-Smith, a global health researcher and infectious disease specialist, said that's it likely we'll hear more reports of hantavirus cases globally.
Speaking to UNILAD, she told us: "I believe we will see a small increase in cases in the coming weeks and anyone who has been exposed will need to be monitored from the date of their exposure to a case up until the end of the incubation period, so it is possible there may be cases popping up in the coming months.
"But we are still learning about this type of hantavirus, past outbreaks have been relatively small, we will know more by tracing these cases and their contacts in these next weeks."
Elsewhere the infectious disease expert shared some key advice to those worried about hantavirus.
Dr. Wharton-Smith said: 'My advice for now is not to worry, stay up to date with the news from reliable sources and carry on as normal."
A timeline of the hantavirus outbreak on the MV Hondius
1 April - The MV Hondius cruise ship departs Ushuaia, Argentina, going on to visit Antarctica, South Georgia, Nightingale Island, Tristan da Cunha, Saint Helena, and Ascension Island. Around 150 people are on board, of 23 different nationalities.
6 April - A 69-year-old Dutch man complains of a fever, headache, and mild diarrhoea while onboard.
11 April - The man’s condition deteriorates. He dies following respiratory distress.
12 April - The captain of the MV Hondius breaks the news of the man’s death to passengers. According to one of the passengers, the captain says the man died of natural causes and there is no contagion. Life continues as normal on board the ship.
24 April - The man’s wife, also 69 and from the Netherlands, goes ashore in St Helena, a remote island in the South Atlantic, experiencing gastrointestinal symptoms. On the same day, a British man presents to the ship’s doctor with shortness of breath and signs of pneumonia.
25 April - The Dutch woman boards an Airlink flight to Johannesburg, South Africa. Contact tracing efforts follow in the coming days to track down the 82 passengers and six crew members onboard the flight.
26 April - The 69-year-old Dutch woman dies after arriving at the emergency department in Johannesburg, South Africa. Meanwhile, the British man’s condition deteriorates.
27 April - The British man is medically evacuated from Ascension Island to South Africa. He remains in intensive care in Johannesburg. The MV Hondius initiates its SHIELD response health and safety plan.
28 April - A German passenger develops a fever.
2 May - The German passenger dies following pneumonia symptoms. Laboratory testing confirms the British man has hantavirus. The World Health Organisation is notified by the UK.
4 May - The Dutch woman is also confirmed to have had hantavirus. The ship’s operator, Oceanwide Expeditions, confirms that there are two crew members, one British and one Dutch, with acute respiratory symptoms who require urgent medical attention.
6 May - Swiss authorities confirm a case of hantavirus from a passenger of the MV Hondius who heard of the outbreak and presented himself at a hospital in Zurich. The two crew members, along with a close contact of the German passenger who died on 2 May, are medically evacuated from MV Hondius. Of these three passengers, two are now in stable condition in hospital, and one is asymptomatic in Germany. The MV Hondius heads North for the Canary Islands. Oceanwide Expeditions says no symptomatic individuals remain on the ship.
8 May - The UK confirms a third British national has suspected hantavirus on the remote island of Tristan da Cunha.
10 May - The MV Hondius is scheduled to arrive at the port of Granadilla in Tenerife.
Topics: Cruise ship, Travel, Health, World News
Niamh Shackleton