The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared the hantavirus outbreak linked to the Dutch-flagged cruise ship MV Hondius officially over after the final identified contact completed quarantine and tested negative for the virus.
Announcing the development on Thursday, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said that no new cases had been reported since 25 May, allowing the agency to conclude that the outbreak had ended.
The outbreak infected 13 people and claimed three lives. It involved the rare Andes hantavirus strain, which is endemic to Argentina and Chile and is the only known hantavirus capable of spreading through prolonged, close human-to-human contact.
More than 650 contacts were identified and monitored by health authorities across 33 countries and territories as part of an extensive international contact-tracing effort.
Although the outbreak has ended, Tedros said WHO will continue working with governments and research partners to better understand the virus. The organisation is coordinating a study involving 21 countries aimed at improving knowledge of the disease and supporting the development of diagnostics, treatments and vaccines for future outbreaks.
Hantavirus is primarily spread through contact with infected rodents or exposure to their urine, droppings or saliva. The virus can also become airborne when contaminated areas are disturbed. Patients typically develop symptoms between one and eight weeks after exposure, including fever, headache, muscle pain and gastrointestinal illness. Severe infections can rapidly progress to respiratory failure due to fluid build-up in the lungs.
There are currently no approved vaccines or targeted antiviral treatments, with patient care remaining largely supportive.
