A hantavirus outbreak that erupted on the MV Hondius, which set out on an Antarctic expedition, has claimed three lives. While Dr. Kornfeld, who took responsibility after the ship's doctor fell ill, continues his struggle, a large-scale contact tracing has been initiated worldwide for the passengers, including two Turks.

Dr. Stephen Kornfeld boarded the MV Hondius last month to experience the adventure of a lifetime from the southern tip of Argentina. His dream was to explore massive glaciers and see whales up close. However, during the few weeks of the holiday, a deadly hantavirus outbreak broke out on the ship while crossing the Atlantic Ocean.

When the ship's own doctor fell ill, Oregon-based Dr. Kornfeld suddenly had to take on responsibility. Kornfeld summarized the situation by saying, 'In a way, I found myself suddenly in the role of the ship's doctor.'

Kornfeld stated that when he heard about a passenger falling ill, he offered to assist the ship's staff. However, the condition of a 70-year-old Dutch passenger, who rapidly deteriorated, led to their death on board at the beginning of April.

He explained that the symptoms of the virus began with standard complaints such as fever and fatigue. Kornfeld described the patients' condition by saying, 'At the time of examination, none of the patients appeared to be critically ill. However, the real fear regarding hantavirus is that you can transition from a serious condition to a critical level in a very short time.'

The ship's main doctor is currently receiving treatment in intensive care in Johannesburg. Some other patients have been transferred to the Netherlands and Switzerland for treatment. The early departure of 30 passengers from the ship before the outbreak was fully understood heightened fears of the virus spreading. Kornfeld noted that he felt relieved at least due to the evacuation of the severely ill patients. He emphasized that the survival of some patients depended on reaching medical care in a timely manner, which was not possible on the ship.

The ship is currently heading towards Tenerife in the Canary Islands. A total of 146 passengers and crew, including two Turks, are set to disembark on Sunday. The outbreak has triggered a major tracking effort worldwide. Health officials are trying to identify individuals who have been exposed to this rare virus, which can lead to severe respiratory failure. The World Health Organization has stated that they do not expect a COVID-like outbreak. So far, five confirmed cases have been identified, and three people have died. Among the deceased is an elderly Dutch couple believed to have contracted the virus during the trip to Argentina. Authorities have confirmed that this outbreak is linked to the rare Andes strain, which can be transmitted from person to person through close contact. While the agency expects more cases to emerge, it stated that there is no evidence of a general transmission risk.

Source: SeaNews Türkiye