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File image of The MV Hondius, Dutch vessel hit by Hantavirus outbreak (Photo: @MarioNawfal/X)

Guwahati, May 8: The World Health Organization (WHO) has confirmed that two Indian nationals are part of the crew on the Dutch cruise ship MV Hondius, which is currently facing a hantavirus outbreak. This situation has prompted global health monitoring and contact tracing efforts.

The WHO reported that five out of eight suspected cases aboard the vessel have tested positive for hantavirus. Tragically, the outbreak has resulted in three fatalities, leading to increased surveillance as health authorities track passengers and crew who left the ship during its journey.

Operated by Oceanwide Expeditions, the luxury expedition ship set sail from Ushuaia, Argentina, on April 1 and is expected to arrive in Spain’s Canary Islands by May 10.

Initially, the ship had approximately 150 passengers and crew members from 28 different nationalities. This includes two Indian crew members, along with 38 individuals from the Philippines, 31 from the United Kingdom, 23 from the United States, 16 from the Netherlands, and others from various European and North American countries.

Reports indicate that 29 passengers from at least 12 countries disembarked at St Helena, a British Overseas Territory, on April 24, raising alarms among health officials regarding potential international exposure.

Despite the outbreak, WHO officials have reassured that this does not signify the onset of a pandemic. Infectious disease epidemiologist Maria Van Kerkhove emphasized that hantavirus transmission differs significantly from that of Covid-19 or influenza.

"This is not Covid, this is not influenza. It spreads very, very differently," she stated, noting that transmission typically requires "close, intimate contact."

Passengers and crew have been advised to wear masks, while caregivers and those in close contact with suspected cases are recommended to use higher-grade personal protective equipment.

Hantavirus is primarily spread through contact with infected rodents or their droppings. However, the WHO has acknowledged that human-to-human transmission has been observed in this outbreak, making it a critical concern for global health authorities.

The health status of the two Indian crew members remains undisclosed as authorities continue to monitor the situation closely as the vessel makes its way to Spain.