The World Health Organization (WHO) has said it believes there may have been human-to-human transmission of hantavirus on the Dutch cruise ship where three passengers have died.
The virus is usually spread from rodents, but the WHO said in this instance it could have been spread among “really close contacts” onboard the MV Hondius vessel, before stressing that such transmission was rare and the risk to the public was low.
“Some people on the ship were couples, they were sharing rooms, so that’s quite intimate contact,” WHO official Dr Maria Van Kerkhove said.
The WHO suspects that the first person to fall ill could have contracted the virus before boarding the ship, Van Kerkhove said.
Two of the passengers who died were a Dutch married. The wife is confirmed to have had the virus.
One other passenger, a 69-year-old UK national who was evacuated to South Africa for medical treatment, is also confirmed to have the virus.
Hantavirus has not been confirmed in the Dutch woman’s husband or the other deceased passenger – a German national who passed away on May 2.
Testing is taking place for other passengers and crew members who are displaying symptoms.
The MV Hondius ship set sail from Argentina to start its voyage across the Atlantic Ocean around a month ago. It is currently anchored near Cape Verde, off the west coast of Africa. (BBC)
