Greek health authorities are set to carry out a series of contacts to determine whether a Greek national aboard the cruise ship MV Hondius, where three passengers have died in a suspected hantavirus outbreak, resides in Greece or abroad.
This piece of information will determine the next steps, including any contact tracing measures that may be required by the National Public Health Organization (EODY).
Greek officials monitoring the situation are working closely with the World Health Organization’s regional office for Europe on the case.
Hantavirus is a rare but potentially severe virus that humans typically contract through contact with infected rodents.
Oceanwide Expeditions, the vessel’s owner, released, earlier Tuesday, a passenger and crew list, noting that 149 people from 23 nationalities are on board, with most passengers coming from the United States, the United Kingdom and Spain.
The company said strict precautionary measures are in place, including isolation protocols, enhanced hygiene measures and medical monitoring. “All passengers have been informed and are being supported,” it said.
The three fatalities include a Dutch couple and a German national. A British passenger has been evacuated and is in intensive care in South Africa, according to officials.
Two hantavirus cases have been confirmed, with five more suspected among passengers on the ship, which remains off the Cape Verde islands, the World Health Organization said.