Hantavirus breakout: What is the Hantavirus mortality rate?

Americans on board hantavirus cruise return home

Nearly a dozen people who were on board a Dutch-based cruise ship have tested positive for hantavirus, including one American. Another American passenger remains symptomatic and is being monitored in Georgia.

Three King County residents were potentially exposed to hantavirus while on a cruise ship, leading to new questions about the disease and its mortality rate.

According to Public Health – Seattle & King County, the three are being monitored for symptoms of Andes hantavirus linked to the MV Hondius cruise ship.

There is no specific treatment for hantavirus infection, and health experts note it can be challenging to diagnose, as its early symptoms are common with other respiratory illnesses.

What is the hantavirus mortality rate?

According to the World Health Organization, hantavirus infections can be fatal, and are markedly deadlier in the Americas than in Asia or Europe.

WHO reports the case fatality rate is as high as 50% in the Americas, and between 1–15% in Asia and Europe. This is due to the virus' relative rarity in North and South America.

What is the hantavirus?

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the hantavirus is actually a family of viruses which cause serious respiratory illness and death.

It causes diseases like hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS) and hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS).

Hantavirus is normally spread by rodents, but the Andes virus — confirmed to be the strain on the MV Hondius — is the only strain known to spread person-to-person. The spread of Andes virus is limited to people who have close contact with the infected person, the CDC says.

According to the CDC, hantavirus pulmonary syndrome affects the lungs, leading to fatigue, fever and muscle aches, eventually escalating into coughing, shortness of breath, and possible tightness in the chest caused by the lungs filling with fluid. The CDC says 38% of people who develop respiratory symptoms may die from the disease.

Hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome affects the kidneys, with symptoms including intense headaches, back and stomach pain, fever, chills, nausea, blurred vision, and occasionally, internal bleeding and acute kidney failure.

The CDC reports that Hantaan and Dobrava virus infections cause symptoms where 5–15% of cases are fatal. Seoul, Saaremaa and Puumala virus infections are more moderate, the CDC says, with fewer than 1% of people dying from the disease.

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