No Filipinos were infected with hantavirus on Atlantic cruise ship—DOH
No Filipino is infected with the hantavirus in the quarantined MV Hondius in Cape Verde, according to the Department of Health.
DOH Spokesperson Assec. Albert Domingo told reporters on May 5 that none of the 38 Filipino crewmen exhibited symptoms of the virus.
“Based on the World Health Organization (WHO) and International Health Regulations, there are no reported illnesses among the passengers and crew so far,” Domingo said.
“Importante ay sila ay walang hantavirus. Sila ay nakabukod. I think following 'yung quarantine protocols,” he added.
Domingo added that no cases of the virus were reported in the country so far.
The World Health Organization received a report of a cluster of passengers with severe respiratory illness aboard a flagged Dutch cruise ship carrying 147 passengers and crew on May 2.
The vessel departed Ushuaia, Argentina, on April 1 and followed an itinerary across the South Atlantic, with multiple stops in remote and ecologically diverse regions, including mainland Antarctica, South Georgia, Nightingale Island, Tristan da Cunha, Saint Helena, and Ascension Island. The passengers' contact with wildlife is still undetermined as investigations are ongoing.
As of May 4, three people have died of the illness among seven cases that have been identified; one is critically ill, while three individuals are reporting mild symptoms.
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention described hantavirus as a family of viruses that can cause serious illnesses and death.
They are spread mainly by rodents' urine, droppings, and saliva. Common symptoms include headaches, fevers, abdominal problems, and nausea.
