A Polish citizen is under epidemiological surveillance following potential contact with hantavirus-infected individuals from the MV Hondius cruise ship, currently abroad and asymptomatic, according to Poland’s Chief Sanitary Inspector.
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Surveillance Measures Initiated
A Polish citizen has been placed under epidemiological surveillance after possible contact with individuals infected with hantavirus from the MV Hondius cruise ship, according to Dr. Paweł Grzesiowski, Poland’s Chief Sanitary Inspector. This information was received through an international surveillance system.
The individual is not currently in Poland and shows no symptoms of the disease. The Polish citizen was identified on a list of people who might have had contact with cruise ship passengers after they disembarked during an evacuation on Saint Helena island.
Dr. Grzesiowski: Person Under Sanitary Surveillance Not In Poland
Dr. Grzesiowski explained that surveillance information is sent to Poland via the International Health Regulations system, coordinated by the World Health Organization (WHO). Sanitary services use passenger lists and travel data to identify individuals whose paths may have crossed with infected or suspected cases.
He emphasized that these individuals are verified and placed under surveillance to monitor their health, but confirmed that the person in question is not in Poland and remains asymptomatic. The Chief Sanitary Inspectorate (GIS) did not disclose the individual’s gender or country of residence.
Epidemiological surveillance lasts six weeks from potential virus exposure, corresponding to the maximum incubation period. There is no quarantine or reporting obligation; it primarily involves observing one’s health. This includes telephone contact from Polish sanitary services and a recommendation for self-observation. The monitored individual was instructed to immediately report to medical services if symptoms appear.
GIS: Virus Spread Risk In Europe Remains Very Low
Grzesiowski noted that further reports concerning Polish passport holders who may have been near infected tourists could emerge in the coming days, potentially from air travel following the partial evacuation of the ship’s passengers.
According to GIS, the risk of the virus spreading in Europe remains very low, with WHO and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) assessing it as practically zero. The Andes virus does not exhibit high infectivity, and transmission typically requires close and prolonged contact with an infected person.
So far, eight potential hantavirus infections, including three fatalities, have been recorded on board the MV Hondius. The remaining five individuals are currently hospitalized on land. The ship departed Ushuaia, Argentina, on April 1 for an Atlantic cruise. The WHO reported that the Andes strain detected on board is indigenous to South America and can be transmitted between humans via airborne droplets.
Hantavirus on Cruise Ship; Captain Is Polish
Spanish authorities announced a full repatriation of cruise ship passengers upon its arrival in Tenerife. Health Minister Monica Garcia stated that Spanish citizens would be quarantined in Madrid, while other passengers would be sent to their home countries via special flights. The operation involves the WHO, European health services, and Spanish health and interior ministries. WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus is also reportedly traveling to Tenerife.
The captain of the MV Hondius is Jan Dobrogowski, a Polish alumnus of the Gdynia Maritime University. The Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs previously stated he does not require medical assistance. According to GIS, the captain remains healthy and continues to be responsible for the ship and crew.