Inside rat virus cruise ship as eerie footage reveals naked decks and abandoned bars
Eerie pictures of abandoned dinning halls and empty restaurants have surfaced as guest aboard the rat infested cruise ship, the MV Hondius, isolate in fear of the deadly hantavirus virus
Images have surfaced of the inside of the rat-infested ship(Image: AP)
Creepy footage of a rat-infested cruise ship filled with masked passengers and abandoned decks has been released as health workers dressed in hazmat suits board the forsaken vessel.
Dutch ship MV Hondius, located off the coast of Cape Verde, is currently home to almost 150 stranded passengers. The majority of the guests aboard the vessel have confined themselves to their cabins to stay clear of the deadly hantavirus virus, as the panic surges on the ship.
The virus has claimed the lives of three passengers on board and has left at least eight more sick. The cruise ship was prevented from docking at Port of Praia, Cape Verde, as local authorities have left the vessel stranded “with the aim of protecting national public health.”
The Dutch ship is currently heading towards Spain as Fernando Clavijo, the Canary Island leader, has declared he cannot allow the it to dock in his territory. Eerie footage obtained by AP has revealed deserted decks as a measly number of health workers roam the ship.
The once lively bustling lounges, restaurants and dinner halls have now fallen under strict COVID-like lockdown rules. MV Hondius is expected to reach Santa Cruz de Tenerife within days.
A government statement from Spain said the Canary Islands are the “closest location with the necessary capabilities” to treat patients onboard. It added: “Spain has a moral and legal obligation to assist these people, among whom are also several Spanish citizens.”
What is hantavirus?
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) says hantavirus is actually a group of viruses carried by rodents such as mice and rats. It is transmitted by their droppings and urine.
Symptoms include:
- fever
- extreme fatigue
- muscle aches
- stomach pain
- nausea
- vomiting
- diarrhoea
- shortness of breath
In some cases people develop severe breathing difficulties and need to be admitted to hospital. Symptoms usually appear between one and four weeks after exposure, although there are reports of this happening up to eight weeks later.
Infections occur when people breathe in air contaminated with virus particles. It can also enter the body through cuts, the eyes, or a rodent bite, although this is rare. Infections are most common in rural and agricultural areas.
Most types of hantavirus do not spread between humans, although the Andes variant, confirmed to be the type seen in the outbreak, can spread this way. When this does happen, it is through very close and prolonged contact.
There is no vaccine or specific treatment. People with the virus are treated according to their symptoms.
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