The world is watching with unease as a hantavirus outbreak aboard the cruise ship MV Hondius, travelling through the South Atlantic, evokes uncomfortable echoes of the early days of COVID-19. The World Health Organization has been mobilised, and multiple countries have activated contact tracing, isolation, and health screening protocols for passengers and crew.
According to the latest WHO data, eight cases have been recorded — six confirmed — and three people have died. The strain identified is the Andes virus, a particularly rare form of hantavirus that is alarming experts because it is one of the very few strains capable of human-to-human transmission.
Greek outlet Ta Nea reports that the case has also reignited interest in how artificial intelligence tools are being used to “read” viruses before they spread. Researchers are increasingly deploying AI models to track and predict viral evolution — a shift from reactive fear to proactive forecasting that could prove critical if the Andes virus gains a wider foothold.