What Is Hantavirus?

Hantavirus infection or hantavirus disease is an infectious disease of humans caused by viruses in the Orthohantavirus genus of viruses. There are more than 20 different viral species, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO), almost all of them linked to infection by rodents, typically rats and mice. One of the types, known as Andes virus, is thought to spread by human-to-human transmission, although very rarely. People usually get infected when they breathe in tiny virus particles from rodent urine saliva, or droppings; touch contaminated materials and touch their face or eat contaminated food, in rare cases get bitten by an infected rodent. It is good to know that the virus itself is not created by dirt or poor hygiene alone, it comes specifically from infected rodents carrying the virus.

Since I have given the information about Hantavirus, let’s talk about the cruise ship where it was seen. A cruise ship hit by an outbreak of hantavirus has arrived in the Canary Islands. Three people that were on the cruise where confirmed to have the virus and five suspected cases have been linked to the ship. The confirmed cases are a Dutch woman who died, a British passenger in intensive care in South Africa, and a Swiss passenger who is being treated in a Zurich hospital.

A British man, a dutch crew member and a German national are among the suspected cases. Two have arrived in the Netherlands for treatment while a third, who is in a stable condition, is on board an evacuation flight that has been delayed.

None have tested positive for hantavirus, but two have shown symptoms. The symptoms often appear within 1-8 weeks, making it harder to diagnose the virus and take immediate action. The symptoms are fever and chills, muscle aches, fatigue, headaches; if it worsens, it can cause coughing, shortness of breath, and fluid buildup in the lungs.

How can we prevent it?

There is no treatment or a vaccine for a hantavirus infections, but early medical support can improve survival. To prevent the virus, we should avoid contact with rodents and their droppings, seal homes and keep the rodents out, use protective gear when cleaning areas with rodent activity, disinfect rather than sweep or vacuum contaminated areas(to avoid airborne particles).