In the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, a cruise ship has transformed from a luxury tourist destination to the site of a serious international health investigation.
What was supposed to be a relaxing trip turned into a nightmare when several passengers suddenly fell ill, three of whom died, while another is in critical condition in intensive care.
About 150 passengers are now stranded near Cape Verde as global health experts try to unravel the true cause of the hantavirus-linked infection and international bodies try to identify the true source of the infection.
Despite the alarming situation, health experts insist that the public does not need to panic like during the Covid-19 pandemic.
This is because hantavirus is not a virus that spreads widely between humans. It is usually spread by rats and other rodents through contaminated feces, urine or dust.
Humans can become infected by inhaling contaminated particles, especially in closed or dusty areas.
Worryingly, the virus has a high fatality rate.
In the Americas, hantavirus can attack the lungs and heart with a mortality rate of almost 40 percent. In fact, the initial symptoms often resemble a common cold, causing many patients to delay seeking treatment.
Experts believe the outbreak on the cruise ship may involve Andes virus, which is the only strain of hantavirus known to be able to spread between humans through very close contact.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the deceased couple are believed to be among the first individuals to be infected after boarding the ship in Argentina.
In addition, several passengers also participated in tours to islands with populations of rats that carry the virus.
However, scientists emphasize that the risk of large-scale transmission is still low because hantavirus does not spread as easily as Covid-19 or influenza.
Transmission usually only occurs in close contact situations such as living together or sharing closed spaces for a long period of time. This case remains an important warning to the world that the threat of zoonotic diseases from wild animals still exists and can emerge unexpectedly.
At the same time, the public is advised to take precautions, especially when in high-risk areas such as warehouses, old cabins, camping areas or locations with a presence of rats.
While the outbreak has sparked global fear, experts believe it is more likely to be an isolated tragedy than a new pandemic threat.
