Trail to Austria

Hantavirus: Contact person was on the same flight

A person from Austria was on the same flight as someone infected with the hantavirus.(Bild: AFP/JORGE GUERRERO)

The hantavirus outbreak on a cruise ship continues to spread. According to the WHO, there are now eleven cases. No cases have been confirmed here yet, but a trail now leads to Austria...

According to the Ministry of Health, while no Austrians were on board the infected cruise ship “Hondius,” contact persons were identified off the ship, some of whom developed symptoms but have tested negative so far.

Infection of the contact person “extremely unlikely”
A person in Austria was also identified who was seated at a distance from a confirmed case on board an airplane. The man was classified as a low-risk contact in accordance with national and international recommendations. Based on current knowledge, actual infection of the contact is extremely unlikely, and he has not shown any symptoms so far.

A person from Austria was on the same flight as someone infected with the hantavirus.(Bild: AFP/JORGE GUERRERO)

Health Minister: “No cause for concern”
Health Minister Korinna Schumann also reassured the public on Wednesday afternoon: “As things stand, there is no cause for concern for the population in Austria. There are currently no confirmed cases domestically, and international health authorities continue to assess the risk to the general population as very low.”

However, according to international guidelines, contacts must remain under observation for six weeks to ensure that an outbreak does not occur.

For low-risk contacts:

• Monitor yourself for symptoms for six weeks after the last contact and contact health authorities immediately if symptoms develop
• Avoid large events, medical facilities (only when necessary), nursing homes, and similar settings, and wear an FFP2 mask in crowded indoor spaces whenever possible.
• You are also required to inform the health authorities of any change in your location.

Infected woman died in Johannesburg
The confirmed infected person—a woman from the Netherlands—boarded a flight in Johannesburg after being evacuated from the “Hondius,” on which the man from Austria was also traveling—two rows away. The infected woman was instructed by the crew to disembark before takeoff and later died in Johannesburg. 

Three deaths so far
Since the outbreak began on the Atlantic cruise ship, eleven cases have been reported internationally as of Tuesday—nine confirmed and two suspected. Of these, three people have died. All known cases to date involve people who were on the “Hondius.”

After the passengers disembarked from the “Hondius,” they were brought to safety via evacuation flights.(Bild: EPA/ROB ENGELAAR)

The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) assesses the risk to the general population in Europe as “very low.” However, secondary cases cannot be ruled out due to planned or already completed evacuations, regular departures, and heavy international travel.

Therefore, the Ministry of Health is in ongoing communication with national and international authorities, specialized agencies, and experts to continuously assess the situation and coordinate appropriate measures.

Transmission via contaminated mouse feces
Hantaviruses are primarily transmitted through inhalation of contaminated rodent excretions, particularly urine, feces, or saliva. An infection can be detected via a PCR test; additionally, antibody tests are conducted to determine an immune response to the virus. In practice, both methods are often combined.

Symptoms of hantavirus infection can range from fever and muscle pain to gastrointestinal complaints and the sudden onset of shortness of breath and hypotension. The disease can rapidly lead to severe respiratory failure and shock. The case fatality rate for such severe cases is between 35 and 50 percent.

Survivors usually recover quickly, though full recovery can take weeks to months. The duration of infectiousness has not yet been clearly established among experts—based on current knowledge, it ranges from a few days to six weeks.

Mandatory reporting expanded
In light of the current outbreak, the Ministry of Health has expanded the existing reporting requirement. Since May 9, in addition to confirmed cases and deaths, suspected cases of human-to-human transmissible hantavirus infections must also be reported. “The expansion of the reporting requirement last weekend was a precautionary measure to identify potential suspected cases early and ensure they are medically classified correctly and promptly,” explains Health Minister Schumann.