At the beginning of May, news began to spread that on the cruise ship MV Hondius three people died of hantavirus and WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus confirmed on Tuesday, May 12, that between passengers and crew 11 cases of infection are confirmed. In nine cases, they confirmed the tests Andes strain – the only one that can be transmitted from person to personreports TASR.
Hantavirus is a rare disease that is usually spread among rodents. It is endemic especially in Argentina, from where the ship sailed in April. There is no vaccine or specific treatment against it. The WHO emphasized that the global risk to public health is low, rejecting parallels with the COVID-19 pandemic.
The death of the wife of a famous actor
Betsy Arakawa († 65), wife of the legendary American actor Gene Hackman († 95), also died a year ago of a painful lung syndrome caused by hantavirus. It was later confirmed by the results of the autopsy, he writes. About the actor, who suffered from advanced Alzheimer’s disease, it is assumed that due to his health condition he had no idea that his wife Betsy had died. Their bodies, along with one of their dogs, were discovered by a maintenance worker on February 26, 2025. Based on the evidence, investigators concluded that Hackman died about a week after his wife.
This rare disease is fatal in almost 40% of those infected. Between 1993 and 2017, just under 730 cases were reported in the entire United States. Humans can become infected with hantavirus through contact with rodents such as rats and mice, especially their urine, droppings and saliva. These viruses can also be spread by bites or scratches from these rodents, but this is rare.
Hantaviruses cause serious infectious diseases hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS) and hemorrhagic fever with renal (kidney) syndrome (HFRS). HPS is a potentially fatal disease that affects the lungs. Symptoms of HPS (fatigue, fever or muscle aches) usually begin to manifest one to eight weeks after contact with an infected rodent.
HFRS affects the kidneys. Symptoms usually appear within one to two weeks, rarely up to eight weeks. They include severe headaches, back and stomach pain, fever/chills, nausea and blurred vision.
