Guwahati, May 11: Indian health authorities have strengthened surveillance and precautionary monitoring following a rare hantavirus outbreak linked to the Dutch expedition cruise ship MV Hondius, even as the two Indian crew members aboard the vessel were confirmed to be healthy and asymptomatic after being evacuated to the Netherlands.
The Indian Embassy in Spain said the two crew members were shifted under precautionary protocols after the outbreak aboard the cruise ship triggered international health monitoring involving multiple countries.
The outbreak has so far been linked to at least eight reported cases, including five laboratory-confirmed infections and three deaths, according to the World Health Organization.
Health officials believe the virus involved is the Andes strain of hantavirus, one of the very few variants known to occasionally allow limited human-to-human transmission through prolonged close contact.
The MV Hondius, carrying passengers and crew from multiple countries, recently reached Spain’s Canary Islands after days of coordinated monitoring, evacuation and quarantine operations.
Indian agencies, including the Union Health Ministry, Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), have clarified that there is currently no evidence of community transmission in India and no immediate public health threat.
Hantaviruses are primarily rodent-borne infections transmitted through exposure to infected rodents, their urine, saliva or droppings, particularly in enclosed or poorly ventilated spaces.
Doctors say symptoms can initially resemble common viral infections, including fever, fatigue, body ache and nausea, before progressing into severe respiratory complications in serious cases.
The World Health Organization has clarified that the outbreak is not comparable to COVID-19 and currently poses a low global public health risk, though officials have warned that additional cases may still emerge because hantavirus infections can have a long incubation period.
Medical experts have also cautioned against misinformation and panic circulating online. There is currently no approved vaccine or specific antiviral treatment for hantavirus infection, with treatment focused mainly on supportive medical care and early detection.
Officials continue to advise basic preventive measures involving rodent control, safe cleaning practices and avoiding exposure to contaminated enclosed spaces.
Also Read: ‘A river in between’: Study uncovers new frog species in Meghalaya
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