Former World Health Organisation (WHO) chief scientist Soumya Swaminathan has said the ongoing Hantavirus outbreak linked to a cruise ship appears “containable” as the virus requires prolonged close contact for transmission, unlike highly contagious respiratory infections such as COVID-19, measles or influenza.
Swaminathan said the nature of the virus, particularly its long incubation period, makes it easier to trace and isolate contacts, thereby limiting wider spread.
“The incubation period of this virus is quite long, and this is why it took almost a month for the first person on the ship to get it,” she said, noting that symptoms can appear six to eight weeks after exposure.
Referring to the cruise ship case, she added that the timeline suggests the vessel likely sailed in early April, with the first reported illness emerging towards the end of the month. “To be on the safe side, these people will have to be isolated till that time,” she said, referring to those exposed.
Also read: Hantavirus outbreak on cruise ship, 3 dead
Swaminathan said different countries may adopt slightly varying containment strategies, though most are focusing on strict isolation. “Some countries might say that you only isolate if you have symptoms, but a lot of countries are basically asking people to self-isolate till the incubation period is over,” she said.
She stressed that anyone developing symptoms during the isolation period must be promptly tested for Hantavirus infection. According to her, strict adherence to isolation protocols could effectively prevent further transmission.
“In the case of this outbreak, transmission has been only through prolonged close personal contact, such as people sharing cabins or in intimate contact,” she said, adding that the virus is not considered a sexually transmitted infection, though it has been detected in several biological fluids.
Swaminathan also noted the possibility of limited aerosolisation due to respiratory involvement, but underlined that the virus does not spread through casual contact or brief exposure.
“Unlike SARS-CoV-2, where asymptomatic transmission was a major factor, here it is possible to identify contacts, isolate them and contain the outbreak,” she said, calling containment measures “likely to be very effective”.
Follow us
