Two individuals who were on a flight with a passenger infected with hantavirus from the cruise ship MV Hondius are currently under observation for any symptoms, as reported by the Maryland Department of Health. The infected passenger was not aware of their condition at the time. Health officials in the US state have emphasized that the risk of local transmission of the disease is minimal, as hantaviruses are not typically transmitted between humans. The last reported case of hantavirus in Maryland dates back to 2019.
The Maryland Department of Health is closely monitoring two residents who shared a flight with the infected cruise ship passenger out of precaution. The individuals in question were not aboard the cruise ship but potentially had exposure during international air travel. Hantaviruses, carried by rodents, are present in the US, but the specific strain associated with the MV Hondius passengers is the Andes virus, which is capable of limited person-to-person transmission under certain circumstances.
No cases of hantavirus have been identified in Maryland since 2019, and Andes virus infections have never been documented in the state. The health department is collaborating with various agencies, experts, and medical facilities to address the situation. In a related development, a Spanish passenger evacuated from the MV Hondius has tested positive for hantavirus, adding to the confirmed cases linked to the cruise ship outbreak.
The World Health Organization has verified a total of 11 cases, including three fatalities among the MV Hondius passengers. The cruise ship is currently en route back to the Netherlands for thorough cleaning and disinfection after evacuating most passengers and crew members.
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