Hantavirus on the MV Hondius: 23 landed before the alarm, one is hospitalised in Zurich

one of these 23 people is in Zurich. "The Swiss authorities have confirmed another 'hantavirus case. This was announced by the World Health Organisation, in a post also circulated via X. "The man of Swiss nationality," explains the UN health agency, "had responded to an e-mail from the ship's operator, informing passengers (also that disembarked, ndr) of the health event" verified on board "and presented himself at a hospital in Zurich, Switzerland, where he is receiving the necessary treatment.

As of 6 May, summarises the WHO, "there are 8 cases, 3 of which have been confirmed as hantavirus by laboratory testing. 

The patient presented himself at the hospital on Monday "with mild respiratory symptoms", explaining that he "had been a passenger on this cruise ship, that he was aware of the hantavirus situation, which allowed him to be treated in isolation from the start," Manuel Schibler, head of the virology laboratory at the University Hospitals of Geneva, the facility that performed the test on the man, told Afp.

The wife, who "has not yet shown any symptoms, has self-isolated as a precaution", the Swiss Health Ministry explained. The authorities are investigating whether the patient had contact with other people during the period of illness.

The Swiss ministry also pointed out that, "unlike European hantaviruses, which are transmitted through the droppings of infected rodents, the American variant can be transmitted from person to person, although such cases are rare".

However, it was emphasised, transmission is only possible "in the case of close contact".

Therefore, it is considered "unlikely that further cases will occur in Switzerland" and the risk to the population is described as "low".

The type of virus responsible for this outbreak has been confirmed as hantavirus Andes strain by the National Institute for Infectious Diseases in South Africa and the University Hospitals of Geneva in Switzerland.

The Count

 The 149 people - of 23 nationalities - mentioned so far, therefore, originally numbered 172. But while most remain on the ship, under strict hygienic and isolation measures, 23 as mentioned have returned home and lead a life without any supervision. "The Australian in Australia, the Taiwanese in Taiwan, the Americans in every corner of North America. The English in England, the Dutch at home. I don't remember where the others were from, but no Spaniards,' specified one passenger.

Human-to-human transmission of the hantavirus is possible. This is stated by the WHO: 'We believe there may be human-to-human transmission between close contacts,' said Maria Van Kerkhove, Director for Epidemic and Pandemic Preparedness and Prevention at the WHO.

"Given the duration of the incubation period of the hantavirus, which can vary from one to six weeks, we assume that they were infected outside the ship", and "we assume that there may have been human-to-human transmission between those who were in close contact".

 The outbreak, however, presents a low risk to the population. This was stated by the World Health Organisation's Director-General for Europe, Belgian Hans Henri P. Kluge. "The risk for the general population remains low. There is no need for panic or travel restrictions," Hans Kluge said in a statement, adding that hantavirus infections are "rare and usually linked to exposure to infected rodents".

The nightmare aboard the cruise ship besieged by the hantavirus while on voyage over the Atlantic Ocean began on 6 April, a few days after departure.

The boat set sail on 1 April from Ushuaia, Argentina.

On 6 April, a Dutchman (70 years old) begins to experience symptoms on board: fever, headache, mild diarrhoea. At first it seems like something manageable, but the patient worsens and on 11 April begins to experience breathing difficulties. The same day he dies on the ship (case 1).

No microbiological tests were carried out and the passenger's body was transported to St Helena (British overseas territory) on 24 April.

But it is only the beginning of a chain of illnesses that will later lead the health authorities to launch a wide-ranging investigation to trace every possible contact.

On that 24 April his wife, also Dutch (69 years old), who had been in close contact with Case 1 and complained of gastrointestinal symptoms, also disembarked at St Helena. Her condition will worsen during the plane journey to Johannesburg, South Africa, on 25 April.

He died in the emergency room on 26 April.

The nationality of the third deceased person is unknown. A passenger, who later died of a hantavirus infection, had briefly boarded a KLM flight from Johannesburg to the Netherlands, but was taken off the plane before take-off. This was stated by the airline. 'Due to the passenger's condition at the time, the crew has decided not to allow him to travel on this flight,' Klm said, referring to flight KL592 from Johannesburg to Amsterdam on 25 April at 23:15 local time.