The hantavirus is getting closer: health surveillance has been put in place in Poland following contact with passengers on a cruise ship
Poland’s Chief Sanitary Inspectorate has confirmed that one person is under observation following possible contact with a passenger on the MV Hondius, where an outbreak of hantavirus was previously detected.
According to RMF FM, the person currently has no symptoms of the disease. Medical staff plan to monitor their condition for at least seven days.
Polish epidemiologists are also attempting to identify the circle of people who may have come into contact with the passengers after they disembarked.
The ship itself is heading for the Canary Islands. According to preliminary data, there is one Polish citizen on board, who is the ship’s captain.
What is hantavirus and why is it dangerous?
Hantavirus is carried by rodents, including mice, rats and voles. Infection can occur through inhalation of dust contaminated with animal secretions, or through broken skin.
In Poland, such cases are rare. Every year, between a few and several dozen infections are recorded there. The disease is most commonly detected among forestry workers in the Podkarpacie region.
European strains of hantavirus can cause haemorrhagic fever with kidney damage, requiring patients to be hospitalised.
The Andes strain, which circulates in South America, is of particular concern to medical professionals. It is considered the only type of hantavirus capable of being transmitted from person to person through close contact.
There is no vaccine against this infection in Europe.
What is known about the outbreak on the MV Hondius
The MV Hondius set sail on a cruise from Argentina. Following the death of an elderly couple from the Netherlands, it emerged that there had been an outbreak of hantavirus on board.
Almost 40 passengers left the ship and travelled to various countries without contact tracing being carried out. Authorities in several countries are now attempting to trace them.
One of the passengers attended a wedding upon his return. After photos were posted on social media, the man explained that at that time the World Health Organisation had not yet declared an official epidemic. He is currently in quarantine.
In total, three people died from the hantavirus on the ship. The World Health Organisation has begun evacuating patients to European medical facilities.
Those infected were found to have high temperatures, blood pressure problems and fluid build-up in the lungs.
