Hantavirus Cruise Ship Patients
What began as a private voyage across the Atlantic has escalated to become a global health emergency and is now gaining global media attention. There are reports that three persons who tested positive for the virus will be evacuated to Amsterdam, with other evacuation plans being made amid increasing fear about the ongoing situation.
In light of the recent developments on board the MV Hondius, this once fun voyage has now turned into a quarantine cruise ship for its passengers. With a total of 149 people aboard, the cruise ship found itself stuck off the coast of Cape Verde owing to multiple cases of the fatal virus. To date, there have been three confirmed fatalities resulting from the virus.
Emergency Scenes Unfold in Amsterdam
The images emerging from the Amsterdam Schiphol Airport showed healthcare workers in hazmat suits assisting the passengers alight from the special flight after being evacuated on air transport from the ship. According to health officials, the evacuated individuals included a British doctor working on the ship, a Dutch worker and a German passenger who was thought to be exposed to the sick passengers on the boat.
Despite these comparisons, however, health officials continue emphasizing how little threat there actually is to everyone else. The mere images are sufficient to instill fear among people.
A Rare Virus With a Frightening Reputation
Normally, hantavirus infection is caused by coming into contact with rodent droppings from infected rodents; however, in the MV Hondius cruise ship, the infection is suspected to be of a rare strain known as Andes, which happens to be among the only strains of hantavirus capable of being spread between people.
This information has triggered widespread panic across the globe.
According to reports by the World Health Organization, there have been eight reported cases of the virus on the cruise ship. It was noted that patients started showing signs of severe respiratory complications following their first symptoms.
Although it has been confirmed by health experts that this is not a coronavirus infection, it has sparked the interest of many nations.
Courtesy of kansasphoto (Flickr CC0)Cruise Ship Turns Into Global Headline
Some passengers have mentioned that there has been an aura of doubt and fear on the ship. The passengers remain locked up inside their rooms while health professionals keep monitoring their condition and planning to evacuate them.
While some have appreciated the calm demeanor of the workers amidst all of this, some have questioned whether something more severe could have been done following the deaths.
This concern was clearly reflected on social media with some people dubbing cruise ships as “floating petri dishes.”
More Evacuations Could Be Coming
From the perspective of those in charge, the evacuation is by no means finished yet, as more evacuations involving medical teams continue, as specialists analyze those aboard the cruise ship.
The cruise ship is set to head towards the Canary Islands under strict medical monitoring; however, not all regional administrations find this plan acceptable, as issues such as permission for porting, quarantine of patients, and repatriating of patients to their home countries might arise.
On the other hand, healthcare organizations in Europe and Africa are monitoring individuals who had contact with those stricken prior to announcing the outbreak of the illness.
A Crisis Still Unfolding
For the time being, however, things are in a state of considerable uncertainty and are far from reassuring.
Indeed, that what was supposed to be a once-in-a-lifetime experience became one of the biggest health concerns of the year within such a short period of time is astounding. The ordeal of the MV Hondius definitely does not end here.
By David Loran Jr
A successful Editor-in-Chief, journalist for over 6 years, writing about important topics that are going on within the U.S. and beyond.
Sources:
The New York Times: Hantavirus Patients Land in Amsterdam With More Cruise Ship Evacuations Planned
AP News: Cruise ship hantavirus patients arrive in Europe for treatment
Featured Image Courtesy of kansasphoto‘s Flickr Page – Creative Commons License
Inset Image Courtesy of Focal Foto‘s Flickr Page – Creative Commons License
