A top official at the World Health Organization says she can’t rule out human-to-human transmission of the hantavirus on board a cruise ship that’s currently off the coast of West Africa.
“Given the incubation period of hantavirus, which is anywhere between one and eight weeks, it’s possible that the first and the second cases were infected off the ship and then on board, there could have been some personal contact between the husband and the wife, you know, one infecting the other,” Maria Van Kerkhove told Here & Now’s Robin Young. “That’s why we can’t rule out human-to-human transmission.”
Van Kerkhove is the head of the WHO’s epidemic and pandemic preparedness program.
Hantavirus is primarily spread by rodents. The cruise ship outbreak is suspected to have killed three passengers, including a husband and wife.
4 questions with Maria Van Kerkhove
Can it spread from person to person?
“It normally spreads from rodents, from the saliva or the droppings or the feces of rodents. We have seen, depending on the actual virus, because there’s many different hantaviruses, the Andes virus can spread from person to person. It can spread limited among close physical contact. It is very different than COVID, very different than influenza. But right now, what we’re doing is piecing together the story of what has happened on the boat. We have seven suspected cases, two of which have been confirmed so far. The last suspected case that we did include is actually doing very well, doesn’t have any symptoms. We do have two sick individuals who are still on board. And our priority right now is to get them medevaced. And then, of course, what we’re trying to do is keep the rest of the people who are on the ship safe.”
What should passengers still on board the ship be doing?
“We are working with the ship’s operators. The ship has advised that the passengers remain in their cabins, and that if they do need to leave their cabins, that they do keep some physical distancing apart. There’s about 147 total passengers and crew that are on board. It isn’t a huge ship.
“What is reassuring is this is not something that spreads, you know, efficiently, like influenza, like SARS-CoV-2. And so if there is limited human to human transmission on board or has been let’s just say that’s important for us to know, because if somebody is unwell, we want to make sure that they’re wearing a mask or appropriate personal protective equipment.”
What is the investigation focused on?
“So our working hypothesis right now, looking at the timeline of the cruise itself; it left from Argentina. It’s been moving between islands going in the Atlantic, up the African coast. It’s a wildlife tour expedition. So, starting in Argentina, the first two cases boarded there. And given the incubation period of hantavirus, which is anywhere between one and eight weeks, it’s possible that the first and the second cases were infected off the ship and then on board, there could have been some personal contact between the husband and the wife, you know, one infecting the other. That’s why we can’t rule out human-to-human transmission.
“But also, as it’s a wildlife cruise, they’re stopping on islands where some of them have rodents, some of them don’t. We’ve been told that there aren’t rats on the ship. But, you know, of course, there could be. There could be droppings that are there. So we just want to try to minimize any potential risk based on what we know about this virus.”
What kind of treatment is available?
“There isn’t a specific treatment for hantavirus. It’s mainly supportive, but early care saves lives. The first types of symptoms are common for fever. You know, you could have some gastrointestinal [problems]. If it is hantavirus, it can progress to severe respiratory disease. So, support with oxygen, support with mechanical ventilation. That’s why for us, those two sick people who are on board, it’s really critical that they’re medically evacuated to just have provision. Our understanding is that they’re stable. So that’s really good news. And the patient, I should just say that’s in South Africa, who’s in ICU, is also doing better.”
This interview was edited for clarity.
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Lynn Menegon produced and edited this interview for broadcast with Michael Scotto. Scotto adapted it for the web.
This article was originally published on WBUR.org.
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