No sign of major hantavirus outbreak, says WHO as cases continue to rise – Nationwide
There is “no sign” of a major hantavirus outbreak following the discharge of the infected MV Hondius, the director of the World Health Organization has said.
During a press conference on Monday, Tedros Abhanom Ghebreyesus, director-general of the WHO, said that hantavirus testing “continues to indicate that the global health risk continues to be low.”
“There have been no deaths since May 2 when the WHO was first informed of the cluster of cases. All suspected and confirmed cases have been isolated and managed under strict medical supervision, minimizing any risk of further transmission,” said Ghebreyesus.
“However, the situation may change. Given the long incubation period of the virus, it is possible that we may see more cases in the coming weeks,” he added.
The director of the WHO said that each country where the passengers have been returned is responsible for monitoring their health.
“The recommendation of the WHO is that they should be closely monitored in a place of isolation or at home for 42 days from the last exposure on May 10 which takes us to June 21,” he said.
As of Tuesday, the WHO said it had identified 11 cases, nine of which were confirmed, including three people from the cruise ship who died.
The agency said it expects “more cases given the ability of the vessel to spread and the time of infection.”
“Currently, there is no sign that we are seeing the beginning of a major outbreak. Passengers and crew are being followed to their countries, where the WHO recommends a 42-day quarantine at home or in an institution starting on the day of the ship's departure,” WHO said.
Spain reports a new case of hantavirus
A Spanish passenger taken off a cruise ship at the center of a hantavirus outbreak has tested positive for the virus, Spain's health ministry said on Tuesday.
“The patient who was tested yesterday for hantavirus, has been confirmed to have hantavirus. As for the other people who are still being evaluated at the Gómez Ulla Hospital, direct tests have confirmed 13 negative results,” said the Spanish Ministry of Health in a post X.
The Ministry of Health said the patient “has a low-grade fever and mild respiratory symptoms, although he is currently stable and has no obvious clinical deterioration.”
The passenger with the new confirmed case of hantavirus is in isolation at a military hospital in Madrid, where 13 other Spaniards who left on Sunday – all of whom have tested negative for the virus – are also staying.
Get weekly health news
Get the latest medical news and health information brought to you every Sunday.
The United States announced Monday that one passenger removed from the ship had mild symptoms.
In an update on Tuesday, Spain's Ministry of Health said the American citizen's tests were inconsistent “and later had negative results.”
The US Department of Health and Human Services said 18 American passengers from the MV Hondius and an American-British citizen traveled on a State Department return flight on Monday.
Fifteen passengers are at the University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha, and two others are being monitored in Atlanta.
One passenger, who tested positive for hantavirus, was transported to the Nebraska Biocontainment Unit for treatment. As of Monday morning, the person was “doing well and asymptomatic at this time,” reported Angela Hewlett, medical director of the Nebraska Biocontainment Unit.
“Two passengers from the flight, including one who left with mild symptoms in the biocontainment unit of the plane, are now at Emory University's RESPTC in Atlanta. All people at both facilities will receive clinical evaluation and appropriate care and support based on their condition and needs,” the US Department of Health and Human Services said.
The 15 passengers in the National Quarantine Unit are currently “in good condition and in good spirits,” said Dr. Michael Wadman. “Of course they are tired and need some rest.”
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said the risk to public health in the United States is “considered very low at this time.”
“As a precaution, the CDC is working to increase awareness of the outbreak among travelers, public health centers, laboratories and healthcare workers across the country.,” the CDC added.
Meanwhile, British Columbia's top doctor said the four Canadians aboard the MV Hondius arrived safely at Victoria International Airport on Sunday and the arrival “went well.”
“When we arrived, each person was screened and thoroughly screened by Island Health's public health teams and we were there in a very controlled environment, wearing proper PPE,” Dr. Bonnie Henry told reporters Monday, noting that all four “continue to be healthy and asymptomatic.”
He said they were in the “very critical phase of the incubation period” and the four Canadians were moved from the airport to safe, pre-arranged locations where they have begun a minimum 21-day period of isolation under the supervision and ongoing communication of the public health team.
“After speaking with each person, I can confirm that two are a couple in their 70s who live in the Yukon Territory. One is a person in their 70s who lives here in the Island Health District and the other is a person in their 50s from British Columbia currently living abroad,” he added.
Dutch hospital staff are in isolation
Twelve workers at the Dutch hospital where the MV Hondius passenger was treated must be quarantined for six weeks after improperly handling bodily fluids, Radbound University Medical Center said in a statement on Monday.
“During hospitalization, blood was drawn from the patient. This blood was processed according to standard procedures. Due to the nature of the virus, this blood had to be processed according to strict procedures,” said the medical center.
The medical center said that “the latest international regulations were not applied when disposing of the patient's urine.”
Due to the nature of the virus, Dutch workers will go into “quarantine” for six weeks as a precaution, the medical center said.
“Despite the fact that the chance of a real infection is very small, these measures have a big impact on all parties involved. We regret that this happened in our UMC. We will carefully investigate the course of events to learn from this in order to prevent it in the future,” said Bertine Lahuis, chairman of the executive board of Radboud UMC.
“Yes, we will make sure that the partners involved get all the support they need. We have great appreciation for their commitment, and that of their colleagues, to ensure that patient care goes smoothly. At the moment, our UMC is ready to accept any new patients if this is necessary,” said Lahuis.
The launch of MV Hondius is complete
A total of 87 passengers and 35 crew members were escorted from the ship to the beach in Tenerife by crews wearing full-body protective gear and breathing masks in a carefully orchestrated effort that ended Monday night.
Oceanwide Expeditions, the Dutch company that owns the ship, said in a statement on Monday that the ship is bound for Rotterdam, the Netherlands, and is expected to arrive in six days with a tentative arrival date of May 17.
“All guests and a limited number of crew members have now been removed from the m/v Hondius to waiting aircraft. The total number of people repatriated to their countries and the Netherlands is 122 (35 crew, 87 guests),” added Oceanwide Expeditions.
The ferry operator thanked the local authorities in the Canary Islands for their support in assisting the transfer of passengers.
“This process, as well as the earlier stages of this operation, would not have been possible without the support of the Dutch authorities and the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs. We would also like to express our gratitude to the people of the Canary Islands for their role in this joint humanitarian effort, and to the Spanish Government for its prompt preparations and important logistical support,” the statement said.
Before the final transfer of guests and crew, the MV Hondius docked in Granadilla and took on supplies before the trip to Rotterdam on Monday morning.
The ship currently has 25 crew members on board, in addition to two medical experts who accompany the ship to monitor ongoing medical conditions during the voyage, the company said.
“At the moment, the exact procedures regarding our arrival in Rotterdam are still being discussed. We can confirm that the m/v Hondius will be cleaned upon arrival,” added Oceanwide Expeditions.
All remaining crew on board will undergo health checks and quarantine conditions by the Dutch authorities upon arrival in Rotterdam.
All guests' luggage remains on the MV Hondius, and cruise operators contact guests directly regarding the return of their luggage upon arrival in the Netherlands.
– Via files from the Associated Press
