New Delhi: Two Indian nationals are aboard the MV Hondius, the cruise ship where a hantavirus outbreak has been reported. Both are asymptomatic and currently under observation in accordance with established international health protocols, health ministry sources said Thursday.
In early April, the cruise ship left Argentina and headed for Antarctica. By the time it had docked off the West coast of Africa last week, three passengers, including a Dutch couple and a German national, were dead. Five others had fallen seriously ill.
The crisis triggered urgent alerts from health authorities across more than a dozen countries. Passengers from 23 different countries had boarded the vessel. Thirty passengers disembarked at the remote South Atlantic island of Saint Helena in late April. International contact tracing efforts are underway.
The ship is currently en route to the Canary Islands.
According to preliminary information shared by the World Health Organisation under the framework of International Health Regulations, a senior health ministry official reported eight probable cases of hantavirus infection onboard the vessel. Five of these cases were laboratory confirmed, and three people died.
The strain involved is the Andes strain of hantavirus. It is known to have limited capability of human-to-human transmission and generally requires close and prolonged contact for spread.
On Thursday, WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said at a press conference, “While this is a serious incident, WHO assesses the public health risk as low.”
He indicated that additional cases may be reported, given the relatively long incubation period of the infection.
According to ministry sources, as a precautionary measure, the Public Health Emergency Operations Centre under the Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme (IDSP) convened a high-level review meeting with officials at IDSP, as well as International Health Regulations–National Focal Point (IHR-NFP) India, to assess the situation and review preparedness.
The IHR-NFP is the designated national centre responsible for coordinating with the World Health Organisation (WHO) on reporting, monitoring, and responding to potential public health emergencies of international concern.
“WHO is coordinating international response measures, including strengthening diagnostic support, facilitating epidemiological assessment, and ensuring safe disembarkation and onward travel arrangements for passengers and crews,” the ministry sources said. “The Union health ministry is maintaining close coordination with WHO and other international partners.”
“Necessary public health measures are also being undertaken proactively to safeguard the health and well-being of Indian citizens.”
(Edited by Madhurita Goswami)