3 die with suspected hantavirus on cruise that departed Argentina

The ship MV Hondius was sailing from Argentina to Cape Verde. BBC Three people have died after a possible hantavirus outbreak on a cruise ship sailing in the Atlantic Ocean, the World Health Organization (WHO) told the BBC. One case of hantavirus has been confirmed, and another five suspected cases are under investigation, according to the WHO. A 69-year-old British citizen is in ICU in Johannesburg, South Africa. 🗒️Do you have any suggestions for reporting? Send to g1 The UK Foreign Office informed the BBC that it is in contact with the cruise company and local authorities. “We are closely monitoring reports of a possible hantavirus outbreak on the cruise ship Hondius and stand ready to support British citizens if necessary,” the ministry said. See the trending videos on g1: Trending videos on g1 The outbreak was reported on board the cruise ship MV Hondius, which was traveling from Argentina to Cape Verde. Hantavirus infections are usually linked to contact with urine or feces from infected rodents, but in rare cases they can spread between people, causing serious respiratory illness. Foster Mohale, a spokesperson for South Africa’s Ministry of Health, previously told the BBC that at least two people had died. The MV Hondius is operated by the Dutch tourism company Oceanwide Expeditions. According to an itinerary on the Oceanwide Expeditions website, the MV Hondius departed Ushuaia, Argentina, on March 20 and was scheduled to conclude its voyage on May 4 in Cape Verde. It is described as a 107.6 m (353 ft) polar cruise ship, with space for 170 passengers in 80 cabins, plus 57 crew, 13 guides and 1 doctor. Cruise ship MV Hondius, which recorded cases of hantavirus during expedition Pippa Low/Disclosure South African authorities told the BBC that the first person to show symptoms of the virus was a 70-year-old passenger who died on board. His body is now on Saint Helena Island, a British territory in the South Atlantic. This passenger’s 69-year-old wife also fell ill on board and disembarked in South Africa, where she died in a Johannesburg hospital. The couple were Dutch, news agency AFP reported, citing a source close to the case. Speaking anonymously, the source told AFP that the third fatal victim was still on board the ship and that decisions were being made on whether two other sick passengers should be placed in isolation at a hospital in Cape Verde. The ship would then proceed to the Canary Islands, in Spain. The WHO said it was helping to coordinate between member states and ship operators the medical evacuation of two passengers with symptoms, as well as a full assessment of public health risks and support for those still on board. What is hantavirus? Hantavirus is the virus that causes a disease called hantavirus. In humans, it can manifest as Hantavirus Cardiopulmonary Syndrome (HCPS). According to information from the Brazilian Ministry of Health, the infection in humans causes cardiac impairment. Hantaviruses live in wild rodents, which can eliminate the virus through urine, saliva and feces. Rodents can carry the virus throughout their lives without getting sick. According to the Ministry of Health, hantavirus can manifest itself as a non-specific acute febrile illness and lead to severe pulmonary and cardiovascular conditions. How is hantavirus transmitted? The most common way for a human to become infected with hantavirus is by inhaling aerosols formed from the urine, feces and saliva of infected rodents. The virus can also pass to humans in the following ways: Cuts in the skin caused by rodents; Contact of the virus with mucous membranes (eyes, mouth or nose), through hands contaminated with rodent excreta; Person-to-person transmission, reported in Argentina and Chile, associated with the Andes hantavirus.

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