The planet is on its feet and the information is changing hour by hour, around the outbreak of the Hantavirus and more correctly its strain which bears the name "Andean virus" and belongs to the "Hanta" family.
Of course, the gaze is on the cruise ship of which 149 people were on board, some of whom have lost their lives while others have been infected and are either in isolation or hospitalized since their symptoms are more severe.
The incident has attracted the interest of the international scientific community not so much because of the number of cases, which until yesterday was small, but mainly because the strain found in patients is the only known strain of hantavirus that has documented the ability to transmit from person to person.
As the Associate Professor at the European University and scientific coordinator of the European Committee for Infection Control, Konstantinos Tsioutis, explained to "F", "this fact (that is, this particular strain) is the reason why this particular case differs from other outbreaks of hantavirus that have been recorded in the past".
"This strain is special because unlike the other strains of the Hantavirus, it can, under certain conditions, be transmitted between people." However, he added, "it is important to make it clear that this transmission is not easy and is not at all reminiscent of COVID-19 or other respiratory viruses that are quickly transmitted in the community."
Explaining the reasons why there is increased international mobilization, in addition to the detection of this strain, Mr. Tsioutis said: "The first reason concerns the long incubation period of the Andes virus." According to Mr. Tsioutis, symptoms can appear even up to 50 days after exposure to the virus.
This means that someone can travel or move normally for weeks before they realize they are sick, which makes it particularly difficult to trace close contacts and control the chain of transmission.
"The longer the incubation time, the more difficult it becomes to identify all the possible contacts of a case. This is one of the main reasons why the authorities are closely monitoring the incident," he said.
The second reason for concern is related to the severity of the disease that the Andean virus can cause.
In some patients, the virus can lead to Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome (HPS), a serious condition that mainly affects the lungs and heart and can progress rapidly.
HPS can cause severe respiratory distress, fluid in the lungs, a drop in blood pressure, and in severe cases the need for mechanical breathing support.
The Possible Source of the Outbreak
According to the epidemiological analyses so far, the initial exposure to the virus appears to have occurred before the passengers boarded the MV Hondius.
The competent Organizations, such as the World Health Organization and the European Center for Infection Control, estimate that the infection is probably linked to a birdwatching trip to Argentina and the Patagonia region, where the Andes hantavirus is considered endemic.
Argentina has already started extensive sampling and testing of rodents in these areas, as it is considered likely that this is where the first exposure of humans to the virus took place.
This was followed, according to the prevailing scenario, by limited transmission between passengers during the cruise ship journey.
The International Tracing Operation
According to the available data, about 40 passengers disembarked before the appearance of the first cases in Agia Eleni. These passengers are being sought, some have been located in their countries or in other countries and are now being monitored by health authorities, while the international tracing operation continues daily.
As reported by foreign news agencies, the epidemiological investigation is not limited to the passengers of the ship. Air passengers, aircraft crew members, close family contacts as well as health professionals who came into contact with possible cases are also under surveillance. In several countries (12 in total until yesterday afternoon), special protocols for surveillance, isolation and medical evaluation have already been activated.
How Andes hantavirus is transmitted
Most hantaviruses are transmitted exclusively from rodents to humans through contact with urine, faeces or saliva of infected animals.
The Andean strain is an exception. As Konstantinos Tsioutis explained, transmission between people has been recorded mainly in cases of very close and prolonged contact.
In practice, this usually concerns:
– People living in the same house
– Comrades
– Caregivers
– Health professionals without adequate protection measures.
Transmission appears to be associated with exposure to body fluids or prolonged stay in an enclosed space with a symptomatic patient.
"We are not talking about a virus that is easily transmitted on the street, in short social contacts or because someone was in the same place for a few minutes," he clarifies.
The ECDC also points out that to date there has been no widespread or continuous transmission in the community.
Its first symptoms can easily resemble a common virus or flu since they usually include: fever, headache, severe muscle aches, fatigue, back pain, nausea, vomiting or diarrhea, cough or chest pain.
In more severe cases, shortness of breath, severe respiratory distress, fluid in the lungs, low blood pressure, and even shock may occur.
To date, there is no approved vaccine for the virus, nor a specific antiviral treatment.
Treatment is mainly based on early diagnosis and supportive treatment, especially in patients with severe respiratory deterioration.
How we protect ourselves
For the general public, the basic protection measures remain simple but essential:
· Avoid contact with wild rodents or their droppings.
· Good ventilation of enclosed spaces before cleaning.
· Use of gloves and disinfectants in areas with the possible presence of rodents.
· Avoid close contact with people who show suspicious symptoms and a relevant history of exposure.
Experts emphasize that the situation requires caution and not panic.
The fight against disinformation
As is always the case with any international health incident, there is often a wave of misinformation and conspiracy theories.
"When a situation develops rapidly and there are still unknown elements, it is natural for people to worry and look for explanations. But this often creates space for false information," he notes.
For this reason, the competent European Center (ECDC) recommends that citizens be informed only from official sources, such as: the ECDC, the World Health Organization, the CDC, and the national public health authorities.
The outbreak of hantavirus, has caused, in simple words, an international mobilization as transmission between humans is unusual, the only strain that can be transmitted from person to person has been detected, the data around transmission to infected people have not yet been clarified and some of the passengers have not yet been identified, while one incident seems to concern a person who did not have contact with the cruise ship but with a passenger who had disembarked from the ship.
