Oceanwide Expeditions said Thursday 30 passengers disembarked a cruise ship where hantavirus was later discovered, prompting global health officials to conduct contact tracing.
The cruise operator said that among the 30 people who left the vessel on April 24 in St. Helena was one person who later died. Hantavirus was not confirmed on the ship until after those passengers disembarked.
Six of the 30 are U.S. citizens.
The m/v Hondius departed Ushuaia, Argentina, on April 1 with 130 passengers. During the voyage, three people died and several others became ill from hantavirus. Those with confirmed infections were airlifted from the ship.
Officials said Thursday that remaining passengers have not shown signs of illness. The ship is expected to dock in the Canary Islands this weekend. It is unclear when those still on board will be allowed to disembark.
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The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said it has confirmed several Americans on the ship have tested positive for hantavirus. The CDC said the risk to the general public in the United States is “extremely low.”
“Our top priority remains the health and safety of all U.S. passengers,” the CDC said in a statement. “The Department of State is leading a coordinated, whole-of-government response including direct contact with passengers, diplomatic coordination, and engagement with domestic and international health authorities. As the world’s leader in global health security, the U.S. government is using our premier health experts to guide our response to this evolving situation. We are working closely with our international partners to provide technical assistance and guidance to mitigate risk.”
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Scripps News medical contributor Dr. Omer Awan said about 20 to 40 cases occur annually in the United States and that, except for a rare strain, human-to-human transmission is unusual.
“Usually, people get this virus when they have direct contact with the saliva, urine or feces of rodents,” he said.
For the handful of U.S. cases reported each year, Awan stressed the importance of immediate medical attention.
“It can be very mild to very severe,” he said. “Patients usually have flu-like illness — fevers, chills, muscle aches, body cramps — and sometimes abdominal pain, nausea or vomiting. But after a week or so, some develop lung symptoms, which can include coughing, shortness of breath and difficulty breathing. Very rarely, fluid can build up in the lungs, and that’s when it can become deadly. Nearly one in three patients who develop lung symptoms will end up dying.”
