Three Dead After Andes Virus Outbreak Reported on Expedition Cruise Vessel

World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus announced that 11 passengers and crew members aboard the expedition cruise vessel MV Hondius had been diagnosed with hantavirus infections, including several fatal cases.

According to the WHO chief, three of the infected individuals have died. All confirmed cases involve either passengers or crew members who were on board the vessel.

Ghebreyesus stated that nine of the eleven patients had confirmed infections with the Andes virus, one of the most dangerous strains of hantavirus. The remaining two cases are currently considered preliminary diagnoses pending further laboratory confirmation.

WHO Warned of Possible Outbreak Earlier This Week

On May 5, the World Health Organization warned that a potentially deadly outbreak of the Andes virus may have occurred aboard the MV Hondius. Health officials emphasized that there is currently no approved vaccine against the virus.

The Andes virus is a strain of hantavirus known primarily in South America and is considered especially dangerous because it can, in rare cases, spread between people. The infection may cause severe respiratory complications and carries a high mortality rate.

Russian Scientists Discuss Vaccine Development

Alexander Gintsburg, scientific director of the Gamaleya National Research Center for Epidemiology and Microbiology, said that developing a vaccine against hantavirus in Russia could take approximately a year and a half.

According to Gintsburg, large-scale research into such vaccines has not previously been conducted because the work would require significant financial investment while market demand for the vaccine has remained limited.

Investigation Into the Outbreak Continues

Health authorities are continuing to investigate the source and spread of the infections aboard the ship. Officials have not yet released detailed information regarding where exposure may have occurred or how the virus spread among passengers and crew.

The outbreak has drawn international attention because of the rarity of confirmed Andes virus clusters outside endemic regions and the absence of any existing vaccine or specific antiviral treatment.