Having hantavirus was 'hell on earth'
Summary
Two men from Canada and Germany shared their experiences surviving hantavirus, a rare virus spread by rodents that can cause severe illness. The virus has recently caused a deadly outbreak on a Dutch cruise ship crossing the Atlantic Ocean, with three deaths reported and passengers being treated or isolated.Key Facts
- Lorne Warburton from Canada was seriously ill with hantavirus in 2023 and needed life support for about three weeks.
- Christian Ege from Germany had kidney failure and sepsis caused by hantavirus in 2019 and stayed in intensive care for several days.
- Hantavirus infections can have a death rate between 20% to 40% depending on the strain.
- A recent outbreak on the Dutch cruise ship MV Hondius led to three deaths and evacuations to the Netherlands for treatment.
- The virus spreads mainly from contact with rodent urine, droppings, or bites, often by breathing in contaminated dust.
- There is no widely available vaccine or specific cure for hantavirus; treatment focuses on supporting symptoms and hospital care.
- The World Health Organization says hantavirus includes many related virus types named after a river in South Korea.
- The MV Hondius cruise ship is now heading to the Canary Islands after stopping near Cape Verde.
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