Singapore’s Communicable Diseases Agency (CDA) has isolated two residents at the National Centre for Infectious Diseases (NCID) as a strict precautionary measure against the Andes Hantavirus. If you’ve been keeping an eye on global news, you might have heard about the health scare aboard the MV Hondius cruise ship, which is currently at the centre of a Hantavirus outbreak that has tragically resulted in three fatalities. While local health authorities have emphasized the current risk to Singapore’s general public remains low, both men are securely isolated and awaiting test results to determine if they contracted the rare respiratory illness. Here’s what we know the hantavirus cases.
What’s the current Hantavirus risk in Singapore?
The exposure risk stems from a highly specific timeline of internationa travel. The two individuals—a 67-year-old Singaporean man and a 65-year-old Permanent Resident—initially boarded the MV Hondius in Argentina’s Ushuaia on April 1. After disembarking at St Helena, both men took a flight to Johannesburg on April 25. But they shared this flight with a confirmed hantavirus case (who did not travel to Singapore and later passed away in South Africa).
Additionally, the two men subsequently returned to Singapore on May 2 and May 6. Thankfully, one of the men is currently entirely asymptomatic and the other is experiencing only a mid runny nose. Should either test return positive, the patient will remain hospitalised for specialized medical treatment, and comprehensive contact tracing will begin rapidly.
Overall, these precautions are necessary due to the specific nature of the Andes strain of the virus. While typical hantaviruses are contracted by inhaling dust contaminated with the droppings, urine, or saliva of infected rodents, the Andes strain from South America is unique because human-to-human transmission is possible.
However, health experts note that this type of transmission is rare and generally requires close, prolonged contact. By swiftly isolating these two individuals in Singapore, health authorities are effectively mitigating any potential spread to the public. As of May 6, there has been a total of eight confirmed cases linked to the cruise ship (with three deaths). More to follow.
