The World Health Organization (WHO) has said the hantavirus outbreak linked to the MV Hondius cruise ship is not the beginning of a new global pandemic.
Speaking during a press briefing on Thursday, WHO officials explained that hantavirus spreads differently from COVID-19 and currently poses a low public health threat.
Maria Van Kerkhove, WHO infectious disease epidemiologist, stressed that the situation should not be compared to the coronavirus outbreak.
“I want to be unequivocal here. This is not SARS-CoV-2. This is not the start of a Covid pandemic. This is an outbreak that we see on a ship,” she said.
Van Kerkhove explained that the Andes hantavirus is mainly transmitted through “close, intimate contact,” unlike COVID-19 and influenza, which spread more easily through the air.
“This is not Covid, this is not influenza, it spreads very, very differently,” she added.
Tedros Ghebreyesus, WHO director-general, said eight cases have so far been identified, including three deaths.
According to him, five of the infections have been laboratory-confirmed, while three remain suspected cases.
Ghebreyesus noted that previous outbreaks showed human-to-human transmission only occurred after “prolonged contact,” which appears consistent with the current situation.
“Hantaviruses are a group of viruses carried by rodents that can cause severe disease in humans. People are usually infected through contact with infected rodents or their urine droppings or saliva,” he said.
“The species of hantavirus involved in this case is the Andes virus, which is found in Latin America and is the only species known to be capable of limited transmission between humans.”
He added that earlier outbreaks of the Andes virus were mostly linked to close family members, intimate partners, and healthcare workers caring for infected patients.
Tedros also revealed that the first patient developed symptoms on April 9, but hantavirus was not initially suspected and no samples were taken at the time.
He said the patient’s wife later disembarked at St Helena before dying in Johannesburg, South Africa, where tests eventually confirmed hantavirus infection.
The WHO chief warned that more cases could still emerge due to the virus’ incubation period of up to six weeks, although the wider public health risk remains low.
Tedros further disclosed that he contacted Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez on Monday to request that Spain receive the affected ship.
The vessel is currently heading to Spain’s Canary Islands, while passengers have been instructed to remain in their cabins and anyone showing symptoms has been told to isolate immediately.