The Department of Health (DOH) spokesperson, Undersecretary Albert Domingo, confirmed that there are 38 Filipino crew members on board the MV Hondius, a cruise ship suspected of having a hantavirus outbreak that has killed three people. The ship is currently docked in Cabo Verde in the Atlantic Ocean.
DOH Official: Filipino Crew Members Are Healthy
According to USec. Domingo, the cruise ship carries over 100 passengers and crew, with 38 of them being Filipino. However, the DOH official clarified that the Filipino crew members are not ill, based on information from the World Health Organization (WHO) and International Health Regulations.
The agency is also awaiting the repatriation of the Filipino crew members, which depends on the cruise ship operator.
Hantavirus: A Rare Disease
USec. Domingo explained that hantavirus is not new and is a rare disease contracted through exposure to the droppings or urine of infected rats. In the Philippines, no cases of hantavirus have been recorded, according to USec. Domingo. There have been old reports dating back to 1992, but these are still being verified to confirm if they were indeed hantavirus cases.
“In fact, we are not yet convinced. There are very old reports from 1992, and we are looking for the documents to see if they were really hanta because it might be something else,” said USec. Domingo.
Symptoms and Precautions
Symptoms include flu-like illness such as fever and body aches, which are similar to leptospirosis and dengue. USec. Domingo emphasized that the location where the hantavirus case was recorded is far away, and the ship is not moving as it is docked and currently under quarantine.
Despite this, USec. Domingo assured that the department, along with the Bureau of Quarantine, is monitoring the situation in accordance with the President's orders. The official also allayed public fears, stating that there is nothing to worry about. Instead, the DOH is more concerned about the number of tuberculosis cases and the rapid spread of HIV.
