NEW DELHI: Two Indian nationals are among the crew members onboard the Dutch cruise ship, which has reported the dreaded hantavirus outbreak that has led to the death of three and infected many.
According to officials in the union health ministry, they have received information that the two Indian nationals are currently onboard the vessel.
“Both individuals are presently asymptomatic and are under observation in accordance with established international health protocols,” the official said.
India said they are “closely monitoring the evolving situation” relating to reported cases of hantavirus infection onboard the cruise ship MV Hondius, in coordination with the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme (IDSP), World Health Organization (WHO), and other international health authorities.
India has also activated precautionary surveillance measures amid the low global risk assessment of the Zoonotic virus. WHO has said that the risk to the global population from the outbreak is low.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has confirmed a rare strain of Hantavirus known to spread from person-to-person through close contact, in patients linked to the cruise ship, which started from Argentina across the Atlantic.
The outbreak has triggered global concern as the Andes strain of hantavirus is linked to human-to-human transmission.
“In view of the evolving situation and as a precautionary public health measure, the Public Health Emergency Operations Centre (PHEOC) under IDSP, NCDC convened a high-level review meeting involving senior officials from IDSP and IHR-NFP India to assess the situation and review preparedness measures, the official said.
"The Union Health Ministry remains vigilant and is maintaining close coordination with WHO and other international partners," the official informed.
Necessary public health measures are also being undertaken proactively to safeguard the health and wellbeing of Indian citizens.
The senior health ministry official said as per preliminary information shared through WHO under the International Health Regulations (IHR) framework, a total of eight cases of hantavirus infection have been reported onboard the vessel, of which five cases have been laboratory confirmed.
Three deaths, including of a Dutch couple, have been reported.
WHO notified the incident in the first week of May.
The world health body has also said that the outbreak is not the start of a pandemic like Covid six years ago as the hantavirus strain spreads through "close, intimate contact."
However, the global health body, said they suspect more cases in the coming days as the incubation period is upto six weeks. The WHO and other health authorities are also tracking all those who came in contact with those who were infected.
The official, quoting WHO, said that the virus involved is the Andes strain of hantavirus, which is known to have limited capability of human-to-human transmission and generally requires close and prolonged contact for spread.
“WHO has assessed the current public health risk as low, while indicating that additional cases may be reported due to the relatively long incubation period associated with the infection,” the official added.
The official said the WHO is coordinating international response measures under the IHR mechanism, including strengthening diagnostic support, facilitating epidemiological assessment, and ensuring safe disembarkation and onward travel arrangements for passengers and crew.
The ship has around 150 passengers and crew members from as many as 28 countries. However, dozens have disembarked on the island of St Helena on April 24.