Hantavirus patients are being monitored in a GA hospital. Are you at risk?

Following the initial news of the hantavirus outbreak on the cruise ship MV Hondius last, more local headlines as two Georgia residents are being monitored at an Atlanta hospital.

Dr. David Fitter, incident manager for CDC’s hantavirus response, told reporters this week there are currently 41 people being monitored, two of which are being cared for in Emory’s specialized biocontainment setting.

He added that the risk to the public is low, however, their top priority is “the health and safety of both the passengers who were on the ship and American communities.”

As of the date of publishing, there are no confirmed hantavirus cases in the United States, Fitter says.

How did hantavirus get to Georgia?

The outbreak originated in April aboard the Dutch ship sailing from Argentina, and has since most of the exposed passengers have been repatriated, including two Georgia residents, according to The Hill.

Here’s what we know:

• 9 confirmed cases
• 3 people died
• Spread likely caused human-to-human transmission
• Both American and international passengers were on the ship
• The MV Hondius carried both American and international passengers
• A symptomatic passenger left the ship and later flew to Johannesburg
• 18 Americans were on the ship and were repatriated to the U.S.

What’s happening at Emory?

The same biocontainment unit that treated Ebola patients is currently monitoring two Georgia residents at Emory’s Serious Communicable Diseases Unit.

The couple returned to Georgia last week and were moved Monday to Emory for specialized monitoring, with one passenger initially showing mild symptoms. The individual has since tested negative.

The Georgia Department of Health reports doctors at Emory said one individual is receiving treatment while the other is being monitored, yet It’s unclear whether they will be cleared to leave before a 42-day monitoring window closes.

What is hantavirus and how do you get it?

The CDC defines the hantavirus as a family of viruses typically spread by rodents, but the Andes strain involved in this outbreak is unusual: it can pass from person to person.

How to get it:

You can contract HPS through contact with infected rodent urine, droppings, saliva, or nesting materials or through close contact with an infected person’s bodily fluids or respiratory secretions.

There is no vaccine for hantavirus and the treatment is supportive care, typically received in an ICU.

You cannot get it from casual contact, touching surfaces, or being in the same room as someone who is infected, but HPS has a mortality rate of roughly 38%, so the timing of a diagnosis is critical.

Symptoms:

Day 1 to 8

• Fatigue
• Fever
• Muscle aches in thighs, hips, and back
• Headaches
• Dizziness
• Chills
• Nausea
• Vomiting

Late stage

• Rapidly progressing coughing
• Severe shortness of breath
• Very low-blood pressure
• Bleeding

Do not wait to see a doctor if you have potential exposure history and develop fever or breathing difficulty.

This is not a community-spread situation and the risk to the public is low at this time. The GDPH is coordinating with the CDC on monitoring protocols and most Georgia residents are not in direct danger.

Georgians who were on the ship or on flights with a symptomatic passenger should have already been contacted by public health officials. If not, call GDPH at 404-657-2588