Fear grips Nigerians, the world as hantavirus sparks global concerns.

Nigerians and the world are once again on alert following the emergence of a deadly hantavirus outbreak linked to an international cruise ship, raising fears of another global health crisis. While health officials insist the overall public risk remains low, authorities across several countries are now monitoring passengers and tracing possible infections connected to the Dutch-flagged cruise vessel MV Hondius.

From investigations carried out by Umuaka Times, hantavirus infection is a rare but potentially serious viral illness spread mainly through contact with infected rodents or their urine, droppings, or saliva. Infection typically occurs when people inhale tiny airborne particles contaminated by rodent waste, especially in enclosed or dusty environments such as barns, sheds, cabins, and storage areas.

Some health experts who spoke with Umuaka Times last week disclosed that different hantavirus strains affect the body in different ways depending on the region. In the Americas, the virus can cause Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome (HPS), a severe respiratory illness that attacks the lungs. In Europe and Asia, hantaviruses are more commonly associated with Hemorrhagic Fever with Renal Syndrome (HFRS), which affects the kidneys and blood vessels.

Symptoms usually appear between one and eight weeks after exposure and often begin with flu-like signs including fever, chills, fatigue, headaches, dizziness, muscle aches, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and abdominal pain. In severe cases, the disease can rapidly progress to coughing, chest tightness, shortness of breath, fluid buildup in the lungs, rapid heartbeat, and dangerously low blood pressure. Medical experts warn that severe infections can become life-threatening if not treated quickly.

Health investigators believe the current outbreak began aboard the MV Hondius after several passengers who had traveled through rural areas of Argentina may have been exposed to infected rodents before boarding the ship. Authorities suspect the outbreak involves the rare Andes strain of hantavirus, a variant found in South America that is unusual because it can sometimes spread through close, prolonged human contact.

The cruise ship environment may have worsened the situation, as passengers shared dining areas and close living quarters for weeks before the illness was identified.

Umuaka Times gathered that Oceanwide Expeditions, the operator of the vessel, said 29 passengers including six Americans may have been exposed to the virus after disembarking on the island of St. Helena on April 24, shortly after the first passenger died. Officials say the whereabouts of several of those passengers remain unknown.

Special correspondents of Umuaka Times in the United States disclosed that health authorities in Arizona, California, Georgia, Texas, and Virginia are now monitoring travelers who were aboard the ship for possible infections. Meanwhile, a new suspected case has reportedly emerged on the South Atlantic island of Tristan da Cunha, where U.K. officials said a third British national has been diagnosed with suspected hantavirus.

The cruise ship as at late last week was currently heading toward Spain’s Canary Islands, where authorities plan for the vessel to dock in Tenerife despite opposition from some local officials.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has classified the outbreak as a “Level 3” emergency response — the agency’s lowest emergency activation level — meaning the Emergency Operations Center has been activated and a response team has been deployed to monitor and contain the situation.

Last week, President Donald Trump said he believed the outbreak was “under control” in the United States, while the World Health Organization reported that a Dutch KLM flight attendant who had contact with an infected passenger in Johannesburg later tested negative for the virus.

Nearly 150 passengers and crew members from 23 countries remain aboard the MV Hondius as international health agencies continue monitoring the situation.

Despite growing concern, the World Health Organization says the outbreak is not considered “another COVID-like pandemic,” and officials continue to stress that the overall risk to the general public remains low.

Health experts advise anyone experiencing flu-like symptoms alongside breathing difficulties especially after possible exposure to rodents or rodent droppings to seek immediate medical attention.

Preventive measures include avoiding contact with rodents, ventilating enclosed spaces before cleaning, avoiding sweeping or vacuuming rodent droppings directly, using gloves and disinfectants during cleanup, and sealing entry points where rodents can enter buildings.

There is currently no specific antiviral cure for most hantavirus infections, but doctors say early medical care and supportive treatment can significantly improve survival chances.