The World Health Organization (WHO) has officially declared the hantavirus outbreak linked to the cruise ship MV Hondius over after the last person under quarantine tested negative and returned home.
The outbreak resulted in 12 confirmed cases, one probable case, and three deaths, prompting a global health alert.
“Today, the final contact of a person exposed to hantavirus on the cruise ship MV Hondius completed their quarantine period, tested negative and returned home,” WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said.
“No further cases have been reported since May 25. We are therefore very pleased to say that WHO considers the outbreak of hantavirus over,” he added.
The Dutch-flagged expedition ship departed Ushuaia, Argentina, on April 1 and visited remote South Atlantic islands before sailing to Tenerife, Spain, where the remaining passengers were evacuated. It later docked in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, on May 18 and resumed operations on May 30 after undergoing cleaning and disinfection.
According to the WHO, more than 650 contacts in 33 countries and territories were identified and monitored during the outbreak.
Despite declaring the outbreak over, the WHO said investigations will continue to better understand the virus and improve future outbreak response.
Tedros said the WHO is coordinating a study involving 21 countries to support the development of better diagnostics, treatments, and vaccines.
Hantavirus is a rare rodent-borne disease with no approved vaccine or specific treatment. The Andes strain linked to the Hondius outbreak is the only known hantavirus capable of spreading from person to person.
Initial findings suggested a passenger may have contracted the virus while traveling in Argentina. However, Argentine health authorities later reported that an investigation in another province found no virus-carrying rodents.
