Up to 150 passengers aboard the hantavirus-stricken cruise ship MV Hondius began their journey home from Spain's Canary Islands on Monday, following an outbreak that resulted in three deaths. Repatriation flights for the nearly 150 passengers commenced, with four Australians, one permanent resident, and one New Zealand citizen expected to arrive in Australia by the end of the week. They will spend the first three weeks of a 42-day quarantine at the Centre for National Resilience in Perth, a facility built during the COVID-19 pandemic to support returning overseas travellers.
How is hantavirus spread?
Hantaviruses are typically transmitted to humans through contact with or inhalation of contaminated rodent faeces, urine, or saliva. Rarely, transmission can occur from a bite or scratch from an infected animal. Associate Professor Vinod Balasubramaniam, a molecular virologist at Monash University Malaysia, noted that hantaviruses do not usually spread easily from person to person like influenza or COVID-19. There are two major lineages: old world hantaviruses found in Europe and Asia, and new world hantaviruses found in the Americas. The Andes virus, responsible for the cruise ship outbreak, is a new world hantavirus that can cause hantavirus pulmonary syndrome and has been documented to spread from human to human, which is unusual for hantaviruses.
Could this become the next pandemic?
Dr. Ariful Islam, an epidemiologist at Charles Sturt University, stated that while the outbreak is alarming, it is not a new virus. He emphasized that we know the history of the host and transmission, as well as the symptoms. The World Health Organization's director-general, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, said on Saturday that the current public health risk from hantavirus remains low. Balasubramaniam added that it is likely not possible for this outbreak to become a full-blown pandemic similar to COVID-19 or H1N1. However, the high mortality rate of new world hantaviruses, which can reach about 40% in the Americas, is a significant concern. There is no specific antiviral treatment; management involves supportive care such as oxygen, fluid management, blood pressure support, and ventilation.
Why is the quarantine period so long?
The 42-day quarantine period is due to the virus's long incubation period, which can be up to six weeks for the Andes virus. Balasubramaniam explained that symptoms typically indicate successful penetration of the immune system, and the extended quarantine ensures that potential cases are identified. Tedros noted that more cases may be reported as the incubation period unfolds.
