Hantavirus alarm

Circular

Hantavirus, all the rules for Italia: from masks to quarantines to suspected cases

For persons who have had high-risk contacts, fiduciary quarantine for six weeks; for those who have had low-risk contacts, passive self-monitoring for fever, myalgia, headache, fatigue, gastrointestinal or respiratory symptoms, up to 42 days (six weeks) after last exposure

by Health Editor

11 May 2026

Giornalisti nel porto di Granadilla de Abona, dove ha attraccato la nave da crociera MV Hondius, colpita da un’epidemia di hantavirus REUTERS

3' min read

Translated by AI

Versione italiana

Key points

Ministry: hantavirus risk low but approach with caution
High-risk contacts
Low-risk contacts
Contact Classification
The incubation period
Testing priority to symptomatic subjects

3' min read

Translated by AI

Versione italiana

Fiduciary quarantine for six weeks, daily monitoring by health authorities and isolation in case symptoms appear. These are some of the measures recommended for 'high-risk contacts' among the passengers of the Hondius ship where an outbreak of hantavirus occurred.

The indications are contained in the Ministry of Health circular on 'Outbreak of hantavirus type Andes on board the cruise ship MV Hondius: update of the situation and public health indications'. The document clarifies all the rules for Italia: from masks to quarantines and suspected cases.

Ministry: hantavirus risk low but approach with utmost caution

"While confirming that the risk from hantavirus for the general EU/EEA population remains very low," the document reads, "it is considered appropriate to maintain an approach of utmost caution and to reinforce health surveillance activities, with particular attention to the early identification of any suspected cases and to the timely adoption of containment measures for confirmed cases. This approach 'appears necessary in view of the possibility, albeit limited, of inter-human transmission within the EU'.

High Risk Contacts

High-risk contacts, the ministry's circular on hantavirus explains, are 'all persons on board the cruise ship, with the exception of public health experts who embarked in Cape Verde on 6 May; persons who have had one or more exposures to a probable or confirmed case of Andv such as persons sharing the same room or intimate partners or persons with direct physical contact'.

For people who have had high-risk contacts, the Ministry of Health recommends a six-week trust quarantine. You should use your own room, maintain a distance of at least two metres from family members, do not use the same dishes, open windows to ensure ventilation. You can go out to preserve your mental health and well-being by wearing a liquid-resistant medical/surgical mask and avoiding crowds. Also: do not use public transport or commercial flights for repatriation.

If high-risk contacts are found, the regional/PA or health authorities will initiate daily active surveillance of the health status of the exposed person for 42 days following exposure; inform people of the need to take appropriate general precautions and respiratory hygiene measures.

Low-risk contacts

Low-risk contacts, on the other hand, include people who have had no direct or prolonged contact with a probable or confirmed case of Andv, including: airline passengers outside the defined proximity zone; brief contacts in transit, at ports or occasionally; people sharing large outdoor spaces without prolonged interaction; healthcare workers and other personnel using appropriate PPE for the duration of exposure.

In these cases, the recommended measures are: passive self-monitoring of fever, myalgia, headache, fatigue, gastrointestinal or respiratory symptoms, up to 42 days (six weeks) after last exposure; reporting to local health authorities if signs and symptoms appear. If symptoms occur, isolate immediately, inform local health authorities, medical evaluation and sampling and testing.

Contact classification

ECDC (the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control) recommends a risk-based approach to contact tracing, in which contacts are classified according to their level of exposure to a suspected or confirmed case.

The incubation period

The incubation period for Andv infection is generally between two and four weeks, particularly in cases with well-defined and short exposure periods. However, exposure histories may not be clearly defined 11 and individuals may have had contact with multiple potential sources, so a wider range of seven to 42 days (one to six weeks) is indicated.

Testing priority to symptomatic subjects

"Priority in carrying out the tests must be given to symptomatic subjects, in particular those with a clinical picture compatible with hantavirus cardiopulmonary syndrome (HPS)". Thus the circular. "The execution of the molecular test for Hantavirus is considered a priority in symptomatic subjects, in particular in the presence of a clinical picture compatible with Hantavirus Andes cardiopulmonary syndrome, in order to ensure timely clinical management and the activation of appropriate infection prevention and control measures," the circular specifies.