Hantavirus cruise outbreak: 5 critical facts you need to know
3. The initial response underestimated the seriousness of the outbreak
One of the most contentious aspects of the outbreak has been the gap between the first on board death and the eventual implementation of strict containment measures. After a passenger died on April 11, passengers were informed by the ship’s captain that there was no evidence of a contagious threat on board, according to the WSJ. In a video later circulated online, the captain told guests, “We’re not infectious; the ship is safe.” At that stage, Oceanwide Expeditions said, the cause of death remained unknown and medical reviews had treated the case as isolated.
Passengers, therefore, continued much of their daily routine on board. Travelers attended buffet meals, lectures, exercise sessions and wildlife excursions together, while some shared small multi-person cabins for days at sea. Several passengers later reported that, based on available information, they believed the situation was under control.
The situation became more serious during the second leg of the voyage after passengers had already disembarked at places including Tristan da Cunha and St. Helena. A second critically ill passenger was evacuated from the ship on April 27. At that point, the cruise line activated the highest level of its emergency response plan, introducing isolation measures, hygiene protocols and medical monitoring. By then, multiple passengers had fallen ill, and several required urgent medical evacuation.
Passenger and Turkish YouTuber Ruhi Çenet later said he wished the situation had been treated more seriously earlier in the voyage, according to the WSJ. He recalled seeing the wife of the first passenger who died struggling to stand while traveling through Johannesburg after leaving the ship.
Health authorities later identified confirmed cases as the Andes strain of hantavirus.
