Concerns around the hantavirus outbreak linked to the MV Hondius have continued to grow after reports suggested that two Indian nationals aboard the vessel were among suspected infections being monitored by health authorities. The development has triggered fresh questions online about whether India faces any immediate public health risk from the virus.
However, Dr. Naveen Kumar, Director of the ICMR’s National Institute of Virology, said the reported infections appear to be isolated cases and there is currently no evidence of community spread. Speaking to PTI, he explained that hantaviruses are mainly transmitted to humans through infected rodents or their excreta, including saliva, urine and faeces.
How hantavirus usually spreads
According to Dr. Kumar, people generally get infected after inhaling virus particles released from rodent urine, saliva or droppings, especially in poorly ventilated spaces such as warehouses, barns, ships and storage facilities.
“The reported hantavirus cases appear to be isolated ones and there is no immediate public health threat to India,” he said.
His remarks came after reports stated that two Indian nationals aboard the cruise ship had been detected with hantavirus.
According to the World Health Organization, the two Indian passengers were among a small cluster of suspected infections identified aboard the vessel. Health authorities are currently monitoring contacts and taking precautionary measures.
WHO officials also noted that hantavirus infections remain rare and are generally linked to rodent exposure rather than sustained human transmission.
Does hantavirus spread like COVID-19?
Dr. Kumar stressed that hantavirus does not spread between humans as easily as COVID-19.
“Human-to-human transmission is extremely uncommon. Most hantaviruses, especially those reported in Asia and Europe, do not spread between humans. Limited person-to-person transmission has only been documented with some South American strains such as Andes virus,” he explained.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus also addressed the outbreak and said, “while this is a serious incident, WHO assesses the public health risk as low”.
At the same time, he noted that “it is possible that more cases may be reported” because of the virus’s incubation period.
Symptoms people should watch for
Public health experts say hantavirus infections can initially resemble influenza, dengue or severe respiratory illness, which may make diagnosis difficult in the early stages.
According to Dr. Kumar, symptoms generally appear within one to five weeks after exposure.
“Common warning signs include sudden fever, severe body ache, headache, fatigue, chills, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain and dry cough,” he said.
“In severe cases, patients may develop breathing difficulty, low blood pressure, or kidney involvement with reduced urine output,” he added.
India’s preparedness and testing system
Dr. Kumar said India currently has the laboratory surveillance capacity required to identify suspected cases.
“India has diagnostic capacity for hantavirus infection through the ICMR-National Institute of Virology and the nationwide Viral Research and Diagnostic Laboratory Network of 165 labs, where RT-PCR facilities are available for confirmation of suspected cases,” he said.
He also advised people travelling or working in rodent-prone spaces such as ships, warehouses, storage facilities and poorly ventilated areas to maintain hygiene and avoid exposure to rodent-infested environments.
How climate change may increase hantavirus risk globally
Dr. Kumar cautioned that environmental changes may increase the long-term risk of rodent-borne infections globally, including in India.
“Climate change, flooding, unplanned urbanisation, poor waste management and increased human encroachment into rodent habitats can raise the risk of rodent-borne infections,” he said.
“Heavy rainfall and floods often increase rodent population movement into human dwellings and storage areas, increasing exposure risk. Rapid urban growth with poor sanitation can further support rodent proliferation,” he added.
He underlined that there is currently no indication of widespread transmission linked to the cruise ship cases and said standard rodent-control and sanitation measures remain the key preventive strategies against hantavirus.
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