In a post-COVID-19 world, headlines about the spread of respiratory viruses can be jarring to say the least.
Hantavirus, a rodent-borne disease-causing virus, is reigniting pandemic-era fears for some as passengers on the luxury cruise ship MV Hondius battle the outbreak. The Spain-bound ship and around 150 passengers have been quarantined off the coast of Cape Verde for several days, with eight confirmed cases and three deaths on board.
To help make sense of the headlines, we asked readers to send in their questions and asked USA TODAY journalists to dig deeper into their answers. Have a question that hasn’t been answered yet? Submit it here.
Here are some of the questions USA TODAY received.
What is hantavirus?
Hantaviruses are a family of viruses naturally carried by rodents. According to the World Health Organization, more than 50 species have been identified, but only a few are known to infect humans. Hantaviruses are most commonly spread through exposure to rat feces, urine, and saliva.
Human-to-human transmission is rare, but when it occurs, it can cause serious illness. Some of the infected passengers on the cruise ship MV Hondius appear to have spread the virus to each other.
The WHO has identified the strain that occurred on the ship as Andes virus, which is thought to be transmitted from person to person.
Was it the hantavirus that caused the deaths of Gene Hackman and his wife, Betsy Arakawa-Hackman?
Yes, Betsy Arakawa’s cause of death was hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, one of two conditions caused by the virus. (The other is hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome). Gene Hackman died of natural causes, not hantavirus, after battling complications from heart disease and Alzheimer’s disease.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, hantavirus refers to a family of viruses that includes more than 50 species, and the biggest difference between the infection in Arakawa Ward and the infection among sick cruise passengers is the route of infection. Authorities determined that Arakawa likely contracted the virus from rat droppings found near his home, but at least some of the passengers on board the MV Hondius are believed to have infected each other.
How deadly is it? What symptoms do you have?
Some types of hantaviruses can affect humans and animals differently. In humans, hantavirus infection can cause two serious syndromes. One is Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome (HPS), which affects the lungs, and the other is Hemorrhagic Fever Renal Syndrome (HFRS), which affects the kidneys.
According to the CDC, about 38% of people who develop HPS with respiratory symptoms will die if untreated, but the fatality rate for HFRS ranges from 1% to 15%, depending on the type of virus causing it and treatment.
According to the CDC, symptoms vary depending on the type of infection and the resulting illness, but may include:
- fatigue
- heat
- muscle pain
- cold
- headache
- dizziness
- Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain
- Respiratory symptoms such as cough, chest tightness, and shortness of breath
Hantaviruses are not new. Why are we worried now? Is there a possibility of a pandemic?
Hantaviruses are not new, but people are concerned given the recent coronavirus pandemic. However, the WHO assesses the risk to the world’s population as low, according to a news release posted on its website.
“This is not the beginning of an epidemic. This is not the beginning of a pandemic,” Dr. Maria van Kerkhove, WHO’s acting director of epidemic and pandemic management, said at a May 7 press conference.
Also, the two do not spread in the same way. COVID-19 is an airborne virus that is transmitted when infected people exhale virus particles that enter the air, making it easier for the virus to spread throughout the community.
According to the CDC, hantaviruses are primarily transmitted when people come into contact with rat urine, feces, or saliva.
A specific virus species known as Andes virus is the only known type of hantavirus that is known to be transmitted from person to person, and its spread is usually limited among people who have been in close contact with an infected person. WHO has confirmed that Andes virus is the strain on board the MV Hondius.
Where do the U.S. residents who traveled on the MV Hondius live?
The MV Hondius cruise ship had travelers from five U.S. states on board. The passengers then returned to their homes in the following states:
- georgia
- arizona
- California
- texas
- virginia
Two Georgia residents were reportedly on board, according to the Georgia Department of Public Health. Both are in good health and have no signs of infection.
In Texas, the CDC notified the Texas Department of State Health Services that two residents were passengers on the boat. DSHS staff contacted the passengers and reported that they had no symptoms and had not had any contact with anyone on board the ship.
The Arizona Department of Health Services was alerted to one resident on the cruise ship, and an undisclosed number of residents have reportedly returned to their homes in California. The Virginia Department of Health told USA TODAY it is tracking one traveler who returned to the state.
Is there a cure for hantavirus?
According to the CDC, there is no specific treatment or cure for hantavirus. Instead, patients receive supportive care to manage their symptoms. These usually include rest and hydration, but may escalate to interventions such as intubation for breathing difficulties or, in more severe cases, dialysis.
People who develop hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome may require hospitalization and dialysis to remove toxins from the body if the kidneys are affected or damaged. This condition is caused by a hantavirus infection and can cause fever, bleeding, and kidney failure. It is related to four hantaviruses (Hantaan virus, Seoul virus, Puumara virus, and Dobrava Belgrade virus), none of which are the Andean strain found in MV Hondius.
Where does the boat stop and what are the quarantine measures?
In a statement released on Thursday, May 7, Dutch-based cruise company Oceanwide Expeditions said it was “continuing to monitor progress” and was sailing to the Canary Islands, specifically the port of Granadilla (Tenerife). The boat is expected to arrive at the port in three to four days, but the statement did not say whether it would be anchored there.
“Oceanwide Expeditions is in close and ongoing consultation with relevant authorities regarding the exact arrival point, quarantine and testing procedures for all guests, and exact schedule,” the company said.
Is it safe to fly because of hantavirus?
Experts say the chances of contracting hantavirus on a plane are extremely low.
Robert Cross, an associate professor at the University of Texas Medical Branch, told USA TODAY on Thursday that there is “virtually no risk of getting infected on a plane within the United States” for people traveling to certain parts of South America where the Andean virus strain is endemic.
Planes are already equipped with air filtration systems to minimize the general risk of spreading disease on board. Although the risk of infection remains very low, experts said the best prevention is to wear an N95 mask and practice good hand hygiene by washing frequently.
Have a question that hasn’t been answered? Submit it here.
This story has been updated to add new information.
Contributors: Natalie Neysa Alund, Eve Chen, Melina Khan, Sara Moniuszko, Zach Wichter, USA TODAY
