TAMPA, Fla. — A rare hantavirus outbreak tied to a South American cruise ship is raising questions for travelers worldwide, including here in Florida, where the cruise industry is a major part of the economy.
Dr. Sten Vermund, dean of the University of South Florida College of Public Health, says there’s currently no reason for Florida cruise passengers to panic.
Health officials believe the outbreak may have started during eco-tourism excursions in Argentina, where travelers may have been exposed to rodent droppings or urine carrying the virus.
The ship later docked in Spain after multiple passengers became sick, prompting an international health investigation into whether the strain of hantavirus may have spread person to person on board. The Andes strain is the only known form of hantavirus capable of spreading between humans, though experts say such transmission remains rare.
Dr. Vermund says typical cruises departing from Florida ports are very different from the expedition-style travel associated with this outbreak and says there’s no indication that hantavirus poses a broader threat to Florida’s cruise industry.
“I think the risk in Florida as a whole is minimal,” he said.
Hantavirus is rare but can cause severe respiratory illness. Symptoms can include fever, fatigue, muscle aches, nausea, vomiting, and shortness of breath. Public health experts say travelers can reduce their risk by avoiding areas contaminated by rodents, practicing good hand hygiene, and seeking medical care if symptoms develop after possible exposure.
“This is a rare event, and it’s important not to overgeneralize the risk,” Vermund wrote in an article posted on USF’s website.
The situation is unusual and worth monitoring, but not a reason to cancel cruise or other travel plans, he added.
“I do think this is an alarming event,” Dr. Vermund said. “I do think it’s important that we stay on top of these things, and I think this is a pretty good reason to invest in the Florida state health department and in the CDC to try to keep our public health professionals and our epidemiologists on the case.”
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