Source: French to English Tester Published on: 2026-05-04
Source: The Conversation – in French– By Thomas Jeffries, Senior Lecturer in Microbiology, Western Sydney University
On May 3, 2026, according to information provided by the World Health Organization, three people died aboard a cruise ship on the Atlantic Ocean. The WHO suspects an epidemic caused by a hantavirus, a family of viruses that can, in exceptional cases, be transmitted to humans by rodents and cause potentially fatal pulmonary and hemorrhagic syndromes.
Three peoplehave diedFollowing apresumed epidemichantavirus on a cruise ship in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. At least one other passenger is in intensive care in South Africa.
In a statement published on social networks on Sunday, May 3, the World Health Organization (WHO) hasannouncedthese deaths and indicated thatthis rare hantavirus disease had been confirmed in the laboratory in one of the cases. Authorities are currently investigating five other suspected cases among the passengers ofMVHondius.
So, what is hantavirus disease? And why can it prove to be deadly?
As the investigation progresses, here is what we know.
What do we know about hantaviruses?
Hantaviruses cause rare but severe pulmonary syndromes and can also lead to severe hemorrhages and fever, knowing that a hantavirus disease can be fatal.
(These viruses, when they are zoonotic, cause two types of syndromes in humans,indicates the Pasteur InstituteEither a hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome caused mainly by Old World hantaviruses, or a cardiopulmonary syndrome caused mainly by New World hantaviruses. Both syndromes can be caused by the same viral species. It is a relatively rare disease in some countries – on average, about one hundred hospitalized cases detected annually in France and around fifty per year in the United States – but more frequent in others – several hundred to thousands of cases per year in Germany and Scandinavia, editor’s note..)
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What is a zoonosis?
The virus istransmitted by rodents, such as mice and rats, mainly through the urine and droppings of infected animals.
In general, hantaviruses are not transmittedfrom one human to another, except in rare cases.
It is estimated that every year, worldwide, there are between150,000 and 200,000case of hantavirus infection.
They areless contagiousthat viruses transmissible by airborne route such as theCovidand influenza viruses (theinfluenza viruses transmit the flu, editor’s note), because they generally are not transmitted from one person to another.
What makes these hantaviruses deadly?
There are two main types of hantavirus, each presenting different symptoms.
Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, which affects the lungs, is primarily present in the United States. If a personis infectedwith this type of hantavirus, she will probably develop, within a few days, a cough and shortness of breath.
As the disease progresses, symptoms such as fatigue, fever, and muscle aches may appear. Headaches, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain may also occur. This is the deadliest strain of hantavirus. Unfortunately,about 38%people who exhibit these symptoms die as a result of the disease.
Hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome is mainly present in Europe and Asia, but the strain known as“Seoul virus”has spread worldwide. This form of hantavirus mainly affects the kidneys.
People generally develop symptoms within two weeks following exposure to the virus. The initial symptoms include severe headaches, abdominal pain, nausea, and blurred vision. More advanced symptoms include low blood pressure, internal bleeding, and even acute kidney failure. This disease can be caused by different viruses, some of which are more deadly than others, which means that among1% and 15%Cases can be fatal.
Unfortunately, there is no specific treatment or cure for either type of hantavirus. However, early medical care can increase the patient’s chances of survival. Thismay includethe use of ventilators, oxygen therapy, and dialysis.
Regarding the cruise ship, the authoritiescontinue their investigationsin order to determine which type of hantavirus the passengers were exposed to.
How did the virus end up on a cruise ship?
In a closed environment such as a cruise ship, passengers could have contracted a hantavirus in two ways.
According to a first hypothesis, they might have been exposed to the virus during a shore excursion.
Another hypothesis: rodents could have entered the ship in the cargo, then transmitted the disease to passengers through their urine or contaminated droppings.Other factors, such as hygiene standards and food storage practices, may have contributed to accelerating the spread of the infection.
To stop this presumed epidemic, the authorities must first ensure that all rodents are safely captured and removed from the ship. They must then monitor all passengers to detect any symptoms related to a hantavirus infection. The virus is diagnosed using aPCR test, similar to those used to diagnose viruses such as Covid.
Knowing that there is no specific treatment against this disease, the authorities must help infected passengers tomanage their symptomsThis involves checking that they are breathing normally and that their kidneys are functioning properly.
So, should we be worried?
Although concerning, hantavirus infection cases remain extremely rare. However, since hantavirus disease can present symptoms similar to those of other respiratory conditions, it is recommended to always consult a doctor if you experience symptoms.
If you have stayed in regions where this type of virus is present and you suffer from shortness of breath, fever, or any other symptom resembling flu syndrome, consult your attending physician.
Thomas Jeffries does not work for, advise, hold shares in, receive funding from any organization that could benefit from this article, and has declared no other affiliation than his research institution.
–ref. What is known about the hantaviruses suspected to be responsible for the death of three passengers on a cruise ship?https://theconversation.com/what-do-we-know-about-hantaviruses-suspected-of-being-responsible-for-the-death-of-three-passengers-on-a-cruise-ship-282082