The world has barely recovered from the shock of the coronavirus pandemic when an old but very dangerous virus called Hantavirus has once again awakened the world. This virus spread on a luxury cruise ship, and now the shadow of death has spread to the passengers aboard. So far, 11 people have been confirmed infected on this ship, which was traveling from Argentina to Antarctica. Unfortunately, three of these passengers have died during treatment, leaving the global health system reeling.

What exactly happened on the MV Hondius cruise ship?
The Dutch expedition cruise ship MV Hondius departed from Ushuaia, Argentina, on April 1st for an exciting journey to Antarctica. However, during the voyage, some passengers developed fever and breathing problems. Medical tests revealed they were suffering from Hantavirus. Seeing the situation getting out of hand, the ship was immediately docked in Tenerife, Spain. Currently, all passengers on board have been disembarked and are under special observation.

42 days strict quarantine and WHO order
Because the incubation period (latent period) of Hantavirus is very long, the World Health Organization (WHO) has greatly increased the quarantine rules. Usually, the quarantine is for 14 days, but for Hantavirus, a strict quarantine of full 42 days has been made mandatory. During this time, no passenger or staff will be able to go out. Although this decision has caused some concern among the passengers, but WHO has clarified that this step is necessary to prevent the spread of the virus.

Hantavirus: Many times more deadly than Corona!

According to health experts, Hantavirus is far more dangerous than Coronavirus. While the mortality rate for Coronavirus was less than 1%, the mortality rate for Hantavirus is between 20 and 40%. This means that for every 10 infected people, at least 4 are likely to die. This virus is mostly spread by rats and other rodents. However, the 'Andes strain' found on this ship can spread directly from person to person, raising a major alarm.

Symptoms and Prevention
When infected with Hantavirus, symptoms initially include high fever, body aches, headache, and vomiting. As the infection progresses, fluid builds up in the lungs, making breathing difficult. Currently, there is no official vaccine or specific treatment for this disease. Therefore, "precaution is the only solution." Maintaining personal hygiene and staying away from suspected patients is all we can do.

PC: Navarashtra