Trump says the hantavirus outbreak is ‘under control’ but the CDC’s emergency response tells a different story
Mixed signals.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention just classified the hantavirus outbreak as a “Level 3” emergency response, but the president says it’s already “under control.” That contradiction is raising eyebrows as health agencies scramble to contain the virus spreading among passengers of a Dutch cruise ship. The CDC activated its emergency operations centers this week, assigning epidemiologists, scientists, and physicians to monitor the situation.
According to the NY Post, a Level 3 designation is the lowest tier of emergency activation, meaning the risk to the general public is still considered low. That aligns with statements from the World Health Organization, which also called the threat minimal. Still, the CDC’s move signals a serious effort to track the outbreak, especially among travelers on the M/V Hondius, a cruise ship currently en route to the Canary Islands.
Donald Trump told reporters he’s been briefed on the situation and expects it to be “fine.” When asked if Americans should be worried, he said, “I hope not, I mean, I hope not. We’ll do the best we can.” He confirmed a full report will be released soon but didn’t specify what details it might include.
State Health Departments are doing all they can to get things under control
The departments are keeping tabs on American passengers who disembarked the ship at Saint Helena on April 24. Most are in good health, with no symptoms reported so far. Texas, Georgia, Arizona, and Virginia have all confirmed their residents are being monitored but show no signs of infection.
The M/V Hondius, operated by Oceanwide Expeditions, has become the epicenter of the outbreak. Six Americans were among the 30 passengers who left the ship during its stop in Saint Helena. The vessel departed Argentina on March 20, and cases began surfacing within days. Three passengers have died, and eight suspected cases have been reported, including the three fatalities.
The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control has also activated its response, deploying an EU Health Force Task official to the cruise ship. Like the CDC, the ECDC insists the risk to the general population remains very low.
Hantavirus isn’t new, but its symptoms can be brutal
Survivors describe the illness as “hell on earth,” with symptoms escalating rapidly from flu-like aches to life-threatening respiratory failure. Lorne Warburton, who contracted the virus in 2023, said he spent three weeks in the hospital on life support. “It was torture to go through that and to be able to bounce back,” he said. His symptoms started with body aches and fatigue but quickly worsened until he was “drenched in sweat and couldn’t breathe.”
Even after recovery, Warburton deals with long-term effects, including an irregular heartbeat. “My heart is not synching, the chambers aren’t synching properly,” he explained. “You don’t really take things for granted as much. I appreciate even the smallest little details that most people wouldn’t even acknowledge or see going through daily life.”
Christian Ege, another survivor, contracted hantavirus in 2019 after likely encountering rodent droppings in his garden. What began as a “strange flu” landed him in the ICU with kidney failure and sepsis. “The kidneys recovered normally, but it was the coincidence of a bacterial and a viral escalation at the same time that was a bit worrying for a couple of days for sure,” he said.
The virus is primarily spread through contact with infected rodents or their droppings, which makes outbreaks on cruise ships particularly tricky. Passengers on the M/V Hondius may have been exposed during the voyage, though the exact source of the outbreak hasn’t been confirmed.
The cruise ship has already seen multiple evacuations
Three suspected hantavirus patients were airlifted from the vessel while it was off the coast of Cape Verde. Among them was Martin Anstee, a British former police officer working as an expedition guide on the ship. He was flown to a hospital in Amsterdam, along with a 41-year-old Dutch national and a 65-year-old German national.
Another British man, 69, is being treated in South Africa. The UK’s Health Security Agency announced an additional suspected case on the remote island of Tristan da Cunha, where the ship briefly stopped in mid-April. WHO confirmed eight suspected cases, including the three deaths, but warned that more could emerge. “It’s possible more cases may be reported,” said Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the WHO director-general.
The Andes strain of hantavirus, which is involved in this outbreak, carries a mortality rate of 40%, making it one of the deadlier variants. That statistic is likely why health agencies are taking the situation seriously, even if the risk to the broader public remains low.
The president’s reassurances contrast with the CDC’s emergency activation, but the agency’s actions suggest a cautious approach. Level 3 responses are common for small-scale natural disasters, and the CDC’s statement emphasized that the risk to the general public is minimal. Still, the outbreak on the M/V Hondius has put health systems on alert, especially as the ship continues its journey.
With passengers scattered across multiple countries, tracking and containing the virus will be a logistical challenge. Hantavirus isn’t as contagious as some other viruses, which is why officials are downplaying the risk of a widespread outbreak. However, the severity of the illness means even a handful of cases can be alarming. Survivors like Warburton and Ege offer a grim reminder of how quickly the virus can escalate.
(Featured image: Daniel Mayer)
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