Singapore has placed two residents in isolation at the National Centre for Infectious Diseases (NCID) as they undergo testing for Hantavirus, following their exposure on the MV Hondius cruise ship, which has reported an outbreak of the Andes strain of the virus. The Communicable Diseases Agency (CDA) confirmed the isolation of a 67-year-old Singaporean and a 65-year-old Singapore Permanent Resident, both of whom were on the cruise that departed from Ushuaia, Argentina, on April 1.
The individuals were also on the same flight from St Helena to Johannesburg as a confirmed Hantavirus case who later died in South Africa. One of the isolated residents is experiencing a runny nose, while the other remains asymptomatic. Their test results are currently pending, and the CDA has stated that the risk to the general public in Singapore is low.
Should the tests return negative, the individuals will undergo a 30-day quarantine from their last exposure date, with further monitoring for 45 days, representing the maximum incubation period for Hantavirus. If positive, they will remain hospitalized for treatment and monitoring, triggering contact tracing efforts. The Andes strain of Hantavirus is known for its rare potential for human-to-human transmission, typically requiring close contact.
The MV Hondius outbreak has led to a global health alert, with eight cases and three deaths linked to the cluster so far. The World Health Organization (WHO) has assessed the overall risk to the global population as low, emphasizing that the situation is not comparable to the COVID-19 pandemic. Health authorities worldwide are actively tracing passengers from the affected cruise ship to contain any potential spread.
