GREAT FALLS — A rare strain of hantavirus linked to an outbreak aboard a luxury cruise ship is raising questions among residents and health officials alike, as passengers return home to nearly 20 countries, including the United States.
Health officials in Cascade County say they’ve recently fielded questions from concerned residents about hantavirus; a potentially serious respiratory illness typically linked to rodent exposure.
Brianna Juneau reports - watch the video here:
The latest concern centers around the Andes strain of hantavirus, a version rarely seen in the United States or North America. Unlike the strains more commonly found in the U.S., the Andes strain has demonstrated the ability to spread from person to person under certain conditions.
Passengers from the cruise ship disembarked Monday and are now being quarantined and closely monitored by health agencies as they return home. Officials say one person in the United States has already tested positive for the virus, while several additional suspected cases are under evaluation.
The situation has fueled concern online, with some social media users questioning whether the outbreak could grow into a larger global health emergency similar to the COVID pandemic.
Cascade City-County Health Department Public Health Officer Trisha Gardner says current risk assessments do not suggest that outcome.
“At this time, the risk looks to be fairly low for something to that, for an outbreak or pandemic to happen,” Gardner said.
Health experts emphasize that hantavirus itself is not new. In the United States, hantavirus infections are typically caused by exposure to infected rodents, particularly through droppings, urine or saliva.
“Hantavirus is a virus that is primarily transmitted from rodent to human,” Gardner said.
Gardner explained that the Andes strain is most commonly associated with a rodent species found in parts of South America, where health officials have more experience monitoring and treating the virus.
“We don't see the Andes strain, typically in the U.S. or North America,” Gardner said. “It is a species of rodents that is found in South America. So they are familiar with it. It's a known virus.”
Symptoms of hantavirus can initially resemble many other viral illnesses, including fever, fatigue and muscle soreness, before progressing to more severe respiratory complications in some patients.
“Hantavirus is something that affects the respiratory system,” Gardner said. “So symptoms typically will include, most things you see with almost any virus — fever, general fatigue, maybe some muscle soreness, things of that nature.”
HANTAVIRUS IN MONTANA
Since 1993, Montana has reported 11 deaths due to hantavirus infection, according to the Montana Department of Public Health & Human Services. In Montana, hantavirus is primarily spread by deer mice but can also be spread by the white-footed mouse in eastern Montana.
Studies have shown that deer mice are the most common host of the virus and are well dispersed throughout Montana. People can become infected with hantavirus when saliva, urine, or droppings from an infected deer mouse are stirred up and inhaled. It is important to avoid activities that raise dust, such as sweeping or vacuuming, if there are signs of rodents in the area.
Despite heightened attention surrounding the cruise ship outbreak, health officials say international monitoring efforts are already underway.
Gardner said the federal Centers for Disease Control & Prevention is coordinating closely with state and local agencies across the U.S., as well as the World Health Organization and countries where the Andes strain is more commonly seen.
“The CDC is in really close contact, not just with local jurisdictions in the U.S. to make sure that they know if they're somebody returning to their state that needs to be monitored,” Gardner said. “But they're also working really closely with the World Health Organization and those countries that see this regularly.”
For now, public health officials continue stressing that there is no immediate cause for alarm.
“No need for panic, particularly in the U.S.,” Gardner said. “Current recommendations are...the risk is extremely low.”
Officials also say the same preventive measures recommended for many illnesses remain important.
“For all viruses, probably the best thing that you can do is wash your hands, stay home when you're sick,” Gardner said.
Health agencies say monitoring of quarantined passengers and suspected cases will continue in the coming days as travelers return to their home countries.
