Hantavirus alert on cruise ship MV Hondius: India closely monitoring situation
Meanwhile, health ministry sources have informed that two Indian nationals are currently onboard the cruise vessel MV Hondius.
THE Union Health Ministry is closely monitoring the evolving situation relating to reported cases of hantavirus infection onboard the cruise ship MV Hondius, sources privy to the developments in the Central government told ANI.
They said that a close eye was being kept on the developing situation in coordination with the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme (IDSP), World Health Organization (WHO), and other international health authorities
They said, “As stated by a senior health ministry official, as per preliminary information shared through WHO under the International Health Regulations (IHR) framework, a total of eight probable cases of hantavirus infection have been reported onboard the vessel, of which five cases have been laboratory confirmed. Three deaths have also been reported. WHO was notified of the incident in the first week of this month”
What is hantavirus and how is it transmitted?
Hantaviruses are zoonotic viruses carried by rodents and are mainly transmitted to humans through contact with infected rodents or their excreta (saliva, urine, faeces). People typically get infected by inhaling aerosolised virus particles in poorly ventilated spaces, though rodent bites can also rarely transmit the infection.
What are the symptoms of hantavirus infection?
Symptoms of hantavirus infection include fatigue, fever, nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, abdominal pain, muscular pain, and joint pain. Some cases may also involve pulmonary or kidney-related symptoms.
Can hantavirus cause a pandemic like COVID-19?
The World Health Organization assesses the public health risk from hantavirus as low and states it is not the same as coronavirus. While the Andes virus strain can cause limited human-to-human transmission, it is not easily spread between people like COVID-19.
What is the incubation period for hantavirus?
The incubation period for hantavirus is typically 1 to 8 weeks, meaning symptoms can take several weeks to appear. However, severe cases can progress rapidly.
How are countries and health organizations responding to the hantavirus outbreak on the MV Hondius?
The Union Health Ministry is monitoring the situation in coordination with the NCDC, IDSP, and WHO. WHO has notified countries whose citizens were on board, and some nations are implementing isolation and monitoring protocols for returning passengers.
Meanwhile, health ministry sources have informed that two Indian nationals are currently onboard the cruise vessel MV Hondius. Multiple probable cases of hantavirus infection have been reported on the cruise. The ministry sources said that the Indian nationals are asymptomatic and under observation.
As of the threat of the cases being in India, Dr Naveen Kumar, Director of ICMR-National Institute of Virology (NIV) said that there is no pandemic threat in India.
"At present, the reported infections among Indian nationals aboard a cruise ship appear to be isolated imported cases and do not indicate community spread in India. Since hantavirus transmission is primarily rodent-borne and not easily spread between humans, the immediate public health risk remains low," he said.
Explaining the transmission pattern of hantavirus, he said, “Hantaviruses are mainly transmitted to humans through contact with infected rodents or their excreta, i.e. saliva, urine and faeces. People usually get infected by inhaling aerosolised virus particles from rodent urine, droppings, or saliva in closed or poorly ventilated spaces such as warehouses, ships, barns, and storage areas. Rodent bites can also rarely transmit infection.”
“Unlike COVID-19, human-to-human transmission is extremely uncommon. Most hantaviruses, especially those reported in Asia and Europe, do not spread between humans. Limited person-to-person transmission has only been documented with some South American strains such as the Andes virus,” he said.
Symptoms of hantavirus
The main symptoms are fatigue, fever, nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, abdominal pain, and there may be muscular pain and joint pain. There may be symptoms related to the lungs, pulmonary symptoms, and there may be symptoms related to the kidneys.
