Countries Scramble to Trace Passengers of Virus-Hit Cruise Ship
Health authorities worldwide are working to trace passengers who disembarked from the cruise ship affected by a hantavirus outbreak, aiming to prevent further spread of the disease.
Amsterdam (AP) – Countries worldwide scrambled on Thursday to trace people who had left the cruise ship hit by a hantavirus outbreak before it got marooned off the coast of Cape Verde.
The outbreak has resulted in three deaths and eight suspected cases, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).
The Dutch government reported that around 40 passengers disembarked the ship in Santa Helena, where the ship made a stop on its way to Cape Verde, before the outbreak was reported.
Many of these passengers' whereabouts remain unknown.
Dutch airline KLM stated it had taken off a plane in Johannesburg on April 25 a Dutch woman who fell sick and later died due to her deteriorating medical condition.
The virus found in the victims has been confirmed as the Andean strain, which can spread among humans through very close contact.
Health experts emphasized that contagion is extremely rare; however, the outbreak has put health authorities on high alert.
The United States' Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) closely monitored the situation with US travelers on board the ship but stated that the risk to the American public was extremely low at the time.
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot reported on Thursday that one French citizen had been in contact with an infected person, who is not currently showing symptoms.
Argentina's health ministry has announced plans for rodent trapping and analysis in Ushuaia, the origin point of the cruise ship.
The MV Hondius, carrying nearly 150 people, is expected to dock in Tenerife, Spain's Canary Islands, by Saturday.
Upon arrival in Tenerife, non-Spanish citizens will be repatriated to their home countries if they remain healthy.
In contrast, 14 Spanish passengers will undergo a quarantine period at a military hospital in Madrid.
Three patients were evacuated from the ship on Wednesday, with one patient being admitted to a hospital in the Netherlands and another transferred to Germany for medical care.
The plane carrying the third patient faced delays due to an issue with their life support system but was set to land in the Netherlands early on Thursday.
The outbreak has resulted in three deaths and eight suspected cases, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).
The Dutch government reported that around 40 passengers disembarked the ship in Santa Helena, where the ship made a stop on its way to Cape Verde, before the outbreak was reported.
Many of these passengers' whereabouts remain unknown.
Dutch airline KLM stated it had taken off a plane in Johannesburg on April 25 a Dutch woman who fell sick and later died due to her deteriorating medical condition.
The virus found in the victims has been confirmed as the Andean strain, which can spread among humans through very close contact.
Health experts emphasized that contagion is extremely rare; however, the outbreak has put health authorities on high alert.
The United States' Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) closely monitored the situation with US travelers on board the ship but stated that the risk to the American public was extremely low at the time.
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot reported on Thursday that one French citizen had been in contact with an infected person, who is not currently showing symptoms.
Argentina's health ministry has announced plans for rodent trapping and analysis in Ushuaia, the origin point of the cruise ship.
The MV Hondius, carrying nearly 150 people, is expected to dock in Tenerife, Spain's Canary Islands, by Saturday.
Upon arrival in Tenerife, non-Spanish citizens will be repatriated to their home countries if they remain healthy.
In contrast, 14 Spanish passengers will undergo a quarantine period at a military hospital in Madrid.
Three patients were evacuated from the ship on Wednesday, with one patient being admitted to a hospital in the Netherlands and another transferred to Germany for medical care.
The plane carrying the third patient faced delays due to an issue with their life support system but was set to land in the Netherlands early on Thursday.
