Hantavirus.watch
● MV Hondius leaves Cape Verde for Canary Islands● 146 people remain on board, 22 Britons● 3 confirmed deaths from Andes-strain hantavirus● WHO: risk to wider public is low● Spain to quarantine repatriated nationals in Madrid
● MV Hondius leaves Cape Verde for Canary Islands● 146 people remain on board, 22 Britons● 3 confirmed deaths from Andes-strain hantavirus● WHO: risk to wider public is low● Spain to quarantine repatriated nationals in Madrid

Explainer

What is hantavirus?

Hantavirus has been in the headlines because of the outbreak aboard the MV Hondius cruise ship. Here's what the virus actually is, how it spreads and why doctors are watching this particular strain closely.

Where it comes from

Hantaviruses are a family of viruses carried mainly by rodents. People catch them by breathing in air contaminated with droppings, urine or saliva from infected animals — for example when sweeping out a dusty cabin or shed.

The Andes strain

The strain involved in the MV Hondius outbreak is the Andes virus, found in parts of Argentina and Chile. Unusually for hantaviruses, it is the one strain that has been documented to spread person-to-person, though only after close, prolonged contact.

Symptoms

Early symptoms look flu-like: fever, muscle aches, headache, fatigue. After a few days some people develop serious lung problems (HPS — hantavirus pulmonary syndrome) with shortness of breath, which can be life-threatening.

How dangerous is it?

HPS is rare but serious. With intensive hospital care many people recover, but mortality can be high in severe cases. There is no specific antiviral treatment — care is supportive (oxygen, ICU, fluids).

Can I catch it?

For people who haven't been on the affected ship or near rodent-infested rural areas in southern South America, the risk is very low. The WHO has stressed the wider public is not at meaningful risk from this outbreak.