The rodent-borne Hantavirus has recently caught the attention of many after a Dutch-flagged vessel, carrying around 150 individuals from 23 countries, reported some cases. Two Indian crew members have been safely evacuated from the ship and are now being quarantined in the Netherlands, India's embassy in Madrid said on May 10.

“The Ambassador is in close contact with the Spanish authorities and the Indian nationals and is regularly monitoring the situation to assure the well-being and safety of the Indian nationals," the embassy said in a statement.

Even as the virus is unlikely to spread amongst humans, if it does, it can be fatal. The concern comes here. “The Ambassador is in close contact with the Spanish authorities and the Indian nationals and is regularly monitoring the situation to assure the well-being and safety of the Indian nationals," the embassy said in a statement.

What Is Hantavirus?

The Indians are confirmed to be safe; however, the outbreak of the virus has posed a serious concern. The rare rodenyt-borne virus is deadly and is known to a very few people. Although it usually stays in the animal words, if humans catch it, it can be deadly.

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According to Dr Padma Venkat, dean of the School of Health Sciences and Technology at the University of Petroleum and Energy Studies, Dehradun, the WHO confirmed that the Andes variant is particularly concerning and can be "potentially deadly for humans."

The virus can cause two serious diseases in humans: Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, which attacks the lungs, or hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome, which damages the kidneys. According to experts, both are fatal.

How Does the Hantavirus Spread?

Humans come into contact with the virus by inhaling airborne particles contaminated with rodent urine, feces, or saliva. However, the situation on the cruise ship was different. “The cruise ship had about 150 passengers from 23 countries, all crammed together in a multi-day voyage, where they had multiple opportunities to interact at close quarters," said a doctor from Ashoka University.

The Union Healthy Ministry claimed that the virus has limited capability to spread through humans and needs close and prolonged contact to spread. The ship, therefore, fulfilled all the conditions for spreading.

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What Are The Symptoms?

The infection starts innocuously. “What often begins as a regular flu-like illness—fatigue, fever, body ache, dizziness, and abdominal discomfort—can escalate within days into acute respiratory distress or kidney failure," Venkat explained.

“The infection, which presents with initial symptoms resembling the flu, has a relatively high mortality of about 40 percent," Menon said. This high death rate, combined with the fact that people don’t know they have the virus until it’s too late, makes Hantavirus particularly dangerous.

Should We Worry?

There is no specific treatment for the disease. Doctors can manage the symptoms and provide medicines for the immune systems.

The WHO has classified this outbreak as low risk, and health authorities believe it will remain contained to the ship. “From all we know, and the WHO has provided similar guidance, this outbreak is unlikely to expand further, even as efforts are on to track contacts of those passengers who may have been exposed," Menon said.

There's another catch to this. The virus may take several weeks to show symptoms. In that case, the patients have to be quarantined for a longer period, News 18 reported. 

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