Health authorities across the Caribbean, including Belize, are monitoring reports of a hantavirus outbreak linked to a cruise ship traveling through the Central Atlantic. The MV Hondius, carrying 147 passengers and crew members from more than 20 countries, reportedly recorded eight cases between April 6th and 28th, including three confirmed hantavirus infections, five suspected cases, and three deaths. Reported symptoms included fever, pneumonia, and respiratory distress.
Hantavirus cardiopulmonary syndrome (HCPS), also known as hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS), is a rare but serious viral respiratory disease caused by hantaviruses in the genus Orthohantavirus. More than 20 viral species have been identified worldwide. In North America, the Sin Nombre virus is the primary cause of HPS, whereas the Andes virus is more commonly associated with cases in South America.
According to health experts, hantavirus is primarily spread through contact with infected rodents’ urine, droppings, or saliva, as well as contaminated surfaces. The virus is not associated with the common urban rats typically found in Caribbean regions. Officials investigating the outbreak believe exposure may have occurred either before boarding the vessel in Argentina or on board the ship.
The Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) and Belize’s Ministry of Health and Wellness (MOHW) are actively monitoring the situation. Authorities emphasized that the rodent species known to carry the virus are not commonly found in the Caribbean, keeping the regional risk level low.
Dr. Lisa Indar, Executive Director of CARPHA, stated that “the risk to the Caribbean region is considered low,” while urging the public to remain vigilant but not alarmed. She added that CARPHA’s surveillance network continues monitoring the situation closely. Officials also noted that person-to-person transmission is extremely rare and has only been documented with specific strains, such as the Andes virus, following prolonged close contact.
With Belize’s tourism industry continuing to grow, especially in destinations like San Pedro Town, where travelers arrive daily from around the world, authorities say continued surveillance remains important to safeguard both residents and visitors.
Health officials explained that hantavirus infections are most associated with activities involving rodent-infested areas, such as cleaning abandoned buildings or exposure to contaminated dust and surfaces. Early symptoms of HPS include headaches, dizziness, chills, fever, muscle aches, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and abdominal pain. In severe cases, the illness can rapidly progress to respiratory distress and dangerously low blood pressure. Symptoms typically appear between two and four weeks after exposure, though cases have been documented as early as one week and as late as eight weeks after infection.
There is currently no vaccine or antiviral treatment for hantavirus infections. Medical treatment mainly focuses on supportive care, including oxygen therapy and intensive respiratory support. Authorities across the region continue to encourage rodent control measures, proper sanitation, and awareness of symptoms while closely monitoring the situation.