New Delhi: Two Indian nationals were among the crew members aboard the Dutch expedition cruise ship MV Hondius, which has been linked to a deadly hantavirus outbreak that has claimed three lives and infected several passengers during an international voyage.
The ship, operated by Oceanwide Expeditions, began its journey from Ushuaia on April 1 and was scheduled to arrive at the Canary Islands on May 10. Around 150 passengers and crew members from 28 countries were reportedly onboard during the voyage.
Health authorities confirmed that five of the eight suspected cases tested positive for hantavirus. Among the victims were a 69 year old Dutch woman, her husband, and a German passenger. The husband reportedly died onboard before his body was removed at Saint Helena in the South Atlantic.
The outbreak has raised international concern because some of the infected individuals were linked to the Andes strain of hantavirus, which is considered the only known variant capable of limited human to human transmission. Investigators are now tracing passengers who disembarked during the voyage and identifying those who may have had close contact with infected individuals.
According to onboard records, the ship carried passengers and crew from several countries, including the Philippines, the United Kingdom, the United States, Spain, Germany, Canada, the Netherlands, and India. Twenty nine passengers from at least 12 nationalities reportedly left the vessel at Saint Helena during the trip.
The World Health Organization stated that the outbreak is not comparable to the Covid 19 pandemic. WHO epidemiologist Maria Van Kerkhove said the virus spreads in a very different way and does not currently pose the same type of global threat.
Authorities onboard advised passengers to wear masks, while medical staff caring for suspected patients were instructed to use higher levels of protective equipment. Investigators are also conducting RT PCR tests, antibody analysis, and genomic sequencing to determine how the infections occurred and whether transmission happened before or during the voyage.
The incident has prompted coordinated monitoring efforts across multiple countries as global health agencies continue examining one of the most closely watched hantavirus outbreaks in recent years.
