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Three passengers on a cruise ship within the Atlantic Ocean have died after an outbreak of hantavirus on board.
The World Health Organisation has confirmed an extra five cases of theillness, but this number may rise because the incubation period can last as long as six weeks.
The MV Hondius, which originally left from Argentina on April 1, was because of make its final stop in Cape Verde, but officials within the West African nation refused to permit passengers to disembark.
It’s now making its method to Tenerife, where it would arrive on Saturday. Authorities in Madrid said they’d agreed to permit the ship to port following instructions from the WHO.
It’s a worrying series of events, echoing the early weeks of the Covid epidemic, but in a press conference this week, Maria Van Kerkhove, from the UN Health Agency, reassured the general public, stating: ‘This shouldn’t be the subsequent Covid, but it surely is a serious infection.’
She continued: ‘The danger to most people is low… I actually just need to assure people, that is something quite different.’
Follow our hantavirus live blog for the newest news on the outbreak
So, how concerned should we be about this outbreak and what should we do to guard ourselves? Metro spoke to pharmacist, Thorrun Govind, to seek out out.
What’s hantavirus?
‘It’s very rare for hantavirus to spread from individual to individual, this shouldn’t be like Covid or flu,’ Dr Govind tells Metro.
‘It’s a gaggle of viruses, not one specific virus, which is carried by rats and mice and may cause serious disease in humans.’
Catching hantavirus can result in two fundamental illnesses:
Dr Govind explains you contract the virus by exposure to rodent urine and droppings.
‘We’re really talking about respiratory contaminated air, since the virus becomes airborne when rodent urine or droppings dry out,’ Dr Govind adds.
‘You’ll should be within the contaminated area for a chronic period of time, but you’ll be able to get it from touching contaminated surfaces or from a bite or scratch, but that tends to be more rare.’
What’s the newest guidance for Brits within the UK?
The danger to most people stays very low.
Dr Meera Chand, deputy director for epidemic and emerging infections at UKHSA said: ‘We’re standing up arrangements to support, isolate and monitor British nationals from the ship on their return to the UK.
‘We’re contact tracing anyone who could have been involved with the ship or the hantavirus cases to limit the danger of onward transmission.
‘UKHSA will proceed to work closely with government partners to supply all crucial support.’
Can hantavirus be spread by humans?
Although unusual, hantavirus will be spread between humans through ‘close and prolonged contact’ with infected individuals, ‘particularly amongst household members or intimate partners’, in accordance with the WHO.
The WHO also stated that limited human to human transmission has been reported in previous outbreaks of the Andes virus — a specific strain of hantavirus that is usually present in Argentina and Chile.
The Andes strain has previously been linked to more severe illness and death.
The WHO tells Metro: ‘While it seems human-to-human transmission could have taken place on the ship, the danger is highest for those who were close contacts.
‘The situation on the ship is being rigorously handled to limit any risk to passengers and the general public.’
What are the primary signs of hantavirus?
In case you are fearful you can have been exposed to hantavirus, you’ll have to search for symptoms that could possibly be confused with flu.
‘Early symptoms will be fatigue, a fever, a headache, and muscle ache,’ Dr Govind explains. This muscle pain will likely manifest in areas just like the thighs, hips, back and shoulders in accordance with the Centre for Disease Control.
If it progresses into HPS, about half of those patients will experience headaches, dizziness, chills and abdominal problems like nausea, vomiting, and diarrhoea.
About 4 to 10 days after these initial symptoms, the CDC says you’ll experience ‘late symptoms’ which include coughing and shortness of breath, in addition to tightness within the chest because the lungs fill with fluid.
In case you develop HFRS, initial symptoms will include intense headaches, back and abdominal pain, fever or chills, nausea, and blurred vision.
You possibly can even have inflammation or redness in your eyes or a rash.
Once the disease progresses, later symptoms include low blood pressure, acute shock (lack of blood flow), internal bleeding, and acute kidney failure, in accordance with the CDC.
What’s the mortality rate for hantavirus and is there a treatment?
Hantavirus will be fatal, so it’s vital to control symptoms if you happen to consider you’ve been exposed (although this is very unlikely).
About 38% of people that develop respiratory symptoms may die from the illness, however the form of strain can even impact the mortality rate.
Hantaan (from field mice) and Dobrava (from yellow-necked field mice) virus infections often cause severe symptoms where roughly 5% to15% of cases are fatal, while others like Seoul (from rats), Saaremaa, and Puumala (from bank voles) virus infections see lower than 1% die from the disease.
‘Hantavirus can have serious consequences but there are some groups who’re more susceptible,’ Dr Govind explains. ‘People who find themselves immunosuppressed or who’re elderly are going to struggle greater than others.’
However the pharmacist says, at the moment, there isn’t a cure for the disease and while antivirals have been used, they aren’t a typical treatment.
‘Typically, they’ll be admitted to hospital, monitored and supported,’ she adds. ‘They may have oxygen therapy in the event that they have respiratory difficulties, and doctors will monitor key organs like the guts, lungs and kidneys.’
Is hantavirus within the UK?
It’s believed that 19 British nationals were listed among the many 150 passengers on the cruise.
Currently, two British persons are self-isolating at home within the UK after potential exposure to the virus onboard the cruise ship. Nonetheless, in accordance with the UK Health Security Agency (UKSA), neither of them are reporting symptoms.
All British passengers onboard the MV Hondius will probably be asked to self-isolate within the UK for 45 days.
Since 2012, there have been six cases of acute kidney injury because of hantavirus infection within the UK, and a possible 11 cases overall, in accordance with the federal government.
Should we be fearful?
While the present outbreak and the rise in cases could also be frightening, health officials don’t expect the outbreak to be an epidemic.
During a briefing on Thursday, WHO Chief Dr Tedros Ghebreyesus said that the organisation is aware of reports of other individuals with symptoms who could have had contact with passengers from the MV Hondius cruise ship.
More cases could also be reported, he said, but WHO stresses that it has assessed the general public health risk as low.
Meanwhile, infectious disease epidemiologist Maria van Kerkhove stressed through the WHO briefing that the hantavirus outbreak is ‘not the beginning of a Covid pandemic’ because the virus doesn’t spread in the identical way as coronavirus.
Confirming that while the variety of cases are on the rise, she added: ‘This shouldn’t be Covid, this shouldn’t be influenza, it spreads very in a different way.’
Dr Abdirahman Mahamud, director on the alert and response co-ordination department of the World Health Organisation’s Emergencies Health Programme, highlighted an analogous outbreak in Argentina between 2018 and 2019, which led to a complete of 34 cases.
Dr Mahamud added: ‘We don’t anticipate a big epidemic. With experience our member states have, and the actions they’ve taken, we consider that it will not result in subsequent chain of transmission.’
How do I avoid getting hantavirus?
In case you own rodents as pets you could need to be hypervigilant, but anyone can contract it. Nonetheless, there are things you’ll be able to do to try to avoid catching the illness.
‘In case you’re sweeping somewhere where there could possibly be dry droppings for instance,’ Dr Govind says, ‘you should avoid creating dust and use protective equipment.’
This includes things like face masks and goggles etc, and it’s essential maintain your personal hygiene.
In case you do have rodent droppings, you’ll need to call knowledgeable who might help discover where the rat is and manage the situation – in addition to show you how to clean, the expert adds.
The CDC also recommends minimising or eliminating contact with rodents in your house, workplace or campsites, to cut back your exposure risk.
The organisation also says to seal holes and gaps in your house or garage to maintain rodents from getting in and place traps, while cleansing up any easy-to-reach food that would lure rodents.
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