By Franklin Delgado
Health authorities in California, along with Arizona and Georgia, are monitoring residents who traveled on the MV Hondius, a cruise ship linked to a hantavirus outbreak. Despite the concern, so far, none of those monitored have shown symptoms of infection.
On the ship, which is currently heading to the Canary Islands after medical evacuations, five confirmed cases of hantavirus, including three deaths, have been reported. More than 100 passengers still remain on the cruise ship under surveillance.
Health authorities alert, but calm
Robert Barsanti, of the California Department of Public Health, said in a statement that the risk to public health is low. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has also minimized the risk to the American public and recommended that passengers follow health guidelines.
Preventive measures are being carried out for some of the passengers who disembarked before learning of the outbreak, including recommended isolation in certain cases to ensure public health.
How to identify symptoms
Hantavirus symptoms usually start like the flu and can quickly progress to a serious condition. Identifying them early is key to seeking immediate medical attention.
Initial symptoms
- Fever, chills, intense muscle pain (especially in the legs and back), headache and extreme fatigue appear, similar to a flu-like state.
- They may be accompanied by nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, diarrhea, dry cough or conjunctivitis in many cases.
- These signs last 1-5 days before getting worse.
Serious symptoms
- After 1-2 days of apparent improvement, sudden respiratory distress occurs, indicating hantavirus cardiopulmonary syndrome.
- Other findings include abnormal lung sounds, low blood pressure, cyanosis (blueish skin), and low blood oxygen levels.
Quick identification
- Suspect if there are intense flu symptoms after exposure to rodents (urine, feces or nests) in endemic areas; consult a doctor immediately.
- The physical examination detects signs such as hypoxemia or pulmonary infiltrates on x-ray; It is confirmed with blood tests for IgM antibodies or PCR.
- Act quickly: the progression is fulminant and requires urgent hospitalization.
Monitoring protocols
Health authorities follow standardized protocols to monitor people exposed to risks such as biological, chemical or infectious agents, focusing on active or passive surveillance depending on the level of risk. These include daily or periodic contact to evaluate symptoms, diagnostic tests and preventive measures.
active surveillance
It applies to high-risk exposures, such as close contacts with infections.
- Daily telephone or in-person contact to verify temperature, respiratory symptoms or other signs for 10-21 days post-exposure.
- If symptoms appear, immediate isolation and laboratory tests are activated.
- Includes monitoring by local or state health departments.
Passive surveillance
For low-risk exposures, people self-monitor.
- Instructions for taking daily temperature and reporting fever or symptoms to the health person.
- Typical duration of 14-21 days, with emphasis on self-isolation if necessary.
Medical checks
Specific biological and physical examinations are performed.
- Blood, urine or functional tests (e.g. pulmonary or audiometric) to detect early effects.
- Detailed clinical-labor history, with a record of exposures for at least 10 years.
- Job adjustments or outcomes-based medical interventions.
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