{"id":9038,"date":"2026-05-06T17:40:05","date_gmt":"2026-05-06T17:40:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.healthoptibody.com\/?p=9038"},"modified":"2026-05-07T09:13:53","modified_gmt":"2026-05-07T09:13:53","slug":"how-deadly-rat-virus-spread-so-quickly-through-cruise-ship-as-stranded-passengers-beg-to-be-let-off-before-agonizing-symptoms-hit-them-next","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.healthoptibody.com\/?p=9038","title":{"rendered":"Hantavirus symptoms vs flu | Andes hantavirus human to human | MV Hondius hantavirus outbreak 2026"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div>\n<h2 data-path-to-node=\"6\">\ud83d\udea2 The MV Hondius Crisis: A Rare &#8220;Mixing Vessel&#8221; Event<\/h2>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"7\">Hazmat teams and medical evacuations have returned to the high seas following an outbreak of hantavirus aboard the luxury cruise liner <i data-path-to-node=\"7\" data-index-in-node=\"135\">MV Hondius<\/i>. As of early May 2026, the outbreak has claimed <b data-path-to-node=\"7\" data-index-in-node=\"194\">three lives<\/b> and sickened at least seven others, prompting emergency airlifts to Europe and South Africa.<\/p>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"8\">But how does a virus typically spread by rats take over a luxury ship? The answer lies in the specific strain involved.<\/p>\n<h3 data-path-to-node=\"9\">\ud83e\udda0 The &#8220;Andes&#8221; Exception: Human-to-Human Transmission<\/h3>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"10\">Typically, humans contract hantavirus by breathing in aerosolized particles from the droppings, urine, or saliva of infected rodents. However, officials believe the <i data-path-to-node=\"10\" data-index-in-node=\"165\">MV Hondius<\/i> outbreak involves the <b data-path-to-node=\"10\" data-index-in-node=\"198\">Andes strain<\/b>\u2014the <i data-path-to-node=\"10\" data-index-in-node=\"215\">only<\/i> known hantavirus capable of spreading directly from person to person.<\/p>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"11\"><b data-path-to-node=\"11\" data-index-in-node=\"0\">How it Spreads on a Ship:<\/b><\/p>\n<ul data-path-to-node=\"12\">\n<li>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"12,0,0\"><b data-path-to-node=\"12,0,0\" data-index-in-node=\"0\">The Pre-Symptomatic Window:<\/b> According to Dr. Zaid Fadul, the virus can begin actively shedding up to two weeks <i data-path-to-node=\"12,0,0\" data-index-in-node=\"111\">before<\/i> a person feels any symptoms.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"12,1,0\"><b data-path-to-node=\"12,1,0\" data-index-in-node=\"0\">Close Contact:<\/b> The virus replicates in the lungs and salivary glands, meaning it can spread through respiratory droplets and saliva.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"12,2,0\"><b data-path-to-node=\"12,2,0\" data-index-in-node=\"0\">The Cruise Environment:<\/b> Crowded, enclosed spaces, shared buffets, and touching contaminated surfaces before touching the face create an ideal environment for a virus that usually struggles to jump between humans.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<blockquote data-path-to-node=\"13\">\n<p data-path-to-node=\"13,0\"><i data-path-to-node=\"13,0\" data-index-in-node=\"0\">Origin Theory:<\/i> Argentine officials suspect the index case may be a Dutch couple who visited a landfill site in Ushuaia to photograph birds, exposing themselves to local infected rodents before boarding the ship.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<div class=\"artSplitter mol-img-group\">\n<div class=\"mol-img\">\n<div class=\"image-wrap\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" id=\"i-b84704fc180e9a7f\" class=\"blkBorder img-share\" style=\"max-width: 100%;\" src=\"https:\/\/i.dailymail.com\/1s\/2026\/05\/06\/17\/108411195-15795321-Health_workers_are_seen_evacuating_a_patient_from_luxury_cruise_-a-15_1778084762391.jpg\" alt=\"Health workers are seen evacuating a patient from luxury cruise liner MV Hondius, which is the center of a hantavirus outbreak\" width=\"634\" height=\"522\" \/><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"imageCaption\">Health workers are seen evacuating a patient from luxury cruise liner MV Hondius, which is the center of a hantavirus outbreak<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><iframe id=\"xp-iframe-mouc7xkxwub7uyrzrja\" class=\"iframe-creator \" style=\"border: 0; width: 0; min-width: 100%;\" src=\"https:\/\/i.dailymail.co.uk\/i\/html_modules\/Annie\/tests\/240905-healthsubheading-finalversion\/index.html\" name=\"xp-iframe-mouc7xkxwub7uyrzrja\" height=\"45\" scrolling=\"no\" data-xpmodule-iframe-resizable=\"\">Your browser does not support iframes.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><\/iframe><\/p>\n<h2 data-path-to-node=\"15\">\u26a0\ufe0f The Medical Reality: A 40% Mortality Rate<\/h2>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"16\">Hantavirus is incredibly dangerous because it can progress rapidly to <b data-path-to-node=\"16\" data-index-in-node=\"70\">Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome (HPS)<\/b>. This severe condition causes blood vessels in the lungs to leak, filling the air sacs with fluid and leading to acute respiratory failure. The disease carries a staggering <b data-path-to-node=\"16\" data-index-in-node=\"279\">40% mortality rate<\/b>.<\/p>\n<h3 data-path-to-node=\"17\">\ud83e\ude7a Recognizing the Symptoms<\/h3>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"18\">Because the early stages of hantavirus mimic common seasonal illnesses, it is notoriously difficult to diagnose until it is too late.<\/p>\n<table data-path-to-node=\"19\">\n<thead>\n<tr>\n<td><strong>The &#8220;Prodromal&#8221; (Early) Phase<\/strong><\/td>\n<td><strong>The Severe Phase (HPS)<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td><span data-path-to-node=\"19,1,0,0\">Fever over 101\u00b0F (38.3\u00b0C)<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span data-path-to-node=\"19,1,1,0\">Sudden, severe shortness of breath<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span data-path-to-node=\"19,2,0,0\">Severe muscle aches (especially thighs, hips, back)<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span data-path-to-node=\"19,2,1,0\">Fluid buildup in the lungs<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span data-path-to-node=\"19,3,0,0\">Headaches &amp; Fatigue<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span data-path-to-node=\"19,3,1,0\">Coughing and chest tightness<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span data-path-to-node=\"19,4,0,0\">Abdominal pain, nausea, or vomiting<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span data-path-to-node=\"19,4,1,0\">Rapid progression to respiratory failure<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<blockquote data-path-to-node=\"20\">\n<p data-path-to-node=\"20,0\"><b data-path-to-node=\"20,0\" data-index-in-node=\"0\">Dr. Fadul\u2019s Urgent Advice:<\/b> &#8220;Andes virus can progress from flu-like symptoms to life-threatening respiratory failure in as little as 24 hours. Early ICU support saves lives. Sleeping it off does not.&#8221; If you suspect exposure, take a rapid Covid\/Flu test. If negative, go to the ER and explicitly state: <i data-path-to-node=\"20,0\" data-index-in-node=\"302\">&#8220;I have possible hantavirus exposure.&#8221;<\/i><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<div class=\"artSplitter mol-img-group\">\n<div class=\"mol-img\">\n<div class=\"image-wrap\"><img decoding=\"async\" id=\"i-627b64f35bfd8508\" class=\"blkBorder img-share\" style=\"max-width: 100%;\" src=\"https:\/\/i.dailymail.com\/1s\/2026\/05\/06\/17\/108407143-15795321-An_ambulance_boat_carrying_crew_members_wearing_hazmat_suits_ret-a-22_1778085572753.jpg\" alt=\"An ambulance boat carrying crew members wearing hazmat suits, returns to the port of Praia, the capital of Cape Verde, on May 5, 2026 after a visit to the cruise ship MV Hondius\" width=\"634\" height=\"375\" \/><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"imageCaption\">An ambulance boat carrying crew members wearing hazmat suits, returns to the port of Praia, the capital of Cape Verde, on May 5, 2026 after a visit to the cruise ship MV Hondius<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><iframe id=\"xp-iframe-moucafqz8g3u7zuajvq\" class=\"iframe-creator \" style=\"border: 0; width: 0; min-width: 100%;\" src=\"https:\/\/www.dailymail.com\/i\/html_modules\/2026\/05_MAY\/260504_Rat_Cruise_Map\/index.html\" name=\"xp-iframe-moucafqz8g3u7zuajvq\" height=\"500\" scrolling=\"no\" data-xpmodule-iframe-resizable=\"\">Your browser does not support iframes.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><\/iframe><\/p>\n<h2 data-path-to-node=\"22\">\ud83c\udf0e Is There a Broader Threat to the US or Global Public?<\/h2>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"23\">While the situation is terrifying for those aboard the <i data-path-to-node=\"23\" data-index-in-node=\"55\">MV Hondius<\/i>, infectious disease experts emphasize that the broader threat to the public is very low.<\/p>\n<ol start=\"1\" data-path-to-node=\"24\">\n<li>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"24,0,0\"><b data-path-to-node=\"24,0,0\" data-index-in-node=\"0\">Geographic Isolation:<\/b> The Andes strain is primarily endemic to South America (Argentina and Chile). Dr. Maximo Brito anticipates this is an isolated spillover event, not the start of a global cruise ship trend.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"24,1,0\"><b data-path-to-node=\"24,1,0\" data-index-in-node=\"0\">Strict Containment:<\/b> Epidemiologists like Dr. Syra Madad note that while ships are &#8220;mixing vessels,&#8221; modern maritime medical protocols are built for rapid isolation.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"24,2,0\"><b data-path-to-node=\"24,2,0\" data-index-in-node=\"0\">Repatriation Protocols:<\/b> It is highly unlikely that exposed passengers (including the 17 Americans onboard) will be allowed to disembark or return home without undergoing rigorous testing and, if necessary, strict medical isolation.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p><iframe id=\"xp-iframe-mouc49mgmh3ij1wgsf8\" class=\"iframe-creator \" style=\"border: 0; width: 0; min-width: 100%;\" src=\"https:\/\/www.dailymail.com\/i\/html_modules\/2026\/05_MAY\/260506_How_Hantavirus_Kills\/Hantavirus.html\" name=\"xp-iframe-mouc49mgmh3ij1wgsf8\" height=\"475\" scrolling=\"no\" data-xpmodule-iframe-resizable=\"\">Your browser does not support iframes.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p class=\"mol-para-with-font\">\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&nbsp; \ud83d\udea2 The MV Hondius Crisis: A Rare &#8220;Mixing Vessel&#8221; Event Hazmat teams and medical evacuations have returned to the high seas following an outbreak of hantavirus aboard the luxury cruise liner MV Hondius. As of early May 2026, the outbreak has claimed three lives and sickened at least seven others, prompting emergency airlifts to<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":9039,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[987],"tags":[585,1834,4055,1814,4056,2597,1949,2780,2599,3974],"class_list":{"0":"post-9038","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-healthy-living","8":"tag-antioxidants","9":"tag-cardiovascular-health","10":"tag-cholesterol-lowering","11":"tag-dietitian-advice","12":"tag-health-hack","13":"tag-ldl-cholesterol","14":"tag-natural-remedies","15":"tag-oxidative-stress","16":"tag-polyphenols","17":"tag-pomegranate-juice"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.healthoptibody.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9038","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.healthoptibody.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.healthoptibody.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.healthoptibody.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.healthoptibody.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=9038"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.healthoptibody.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9038\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":9066,"href":"https:\/\/www.healthoptibody.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9038\/revisions\/9066"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.healthoptibody.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/9039"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.healthoptibody.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=9038"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.healthoptibody.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=9038"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.healthoptibody.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=9038"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}