International virologist Camille M. Lange says Barbados is not on the verge of a hantavirus outbreak or pandemic, but warns that the Caribbean’s chronic non-communicable disease (NCD) crisis could leave the region dangerously exposed to future viral threats.
Speaking in an exclusive interview with the Sunday Sun on hantavirus and regional disease preparedness, she said that while the virus already exists within the Caribbean and has previously been detected in Barbados, the current global concern does not amount to an outbreak.
“This right now is an isolated incident that we are trying to ensure does not become an outbreak,” she said.
Her comments come amid international attention surrounding cases linked to the Andes strain of hantavirus on the cruise ship MV Hondius, a variant associated with Latin America and considered one of the more concerning strains because of its limited ability to spread from person to person.
The cruise left Argentina in March with around 150 passengers and stopped in the Antarctic and other locations before heading north to waters off Cape Verde west of Africa, where it was briefly held last week after news of the cases emerged.
World Health Organisation (WHO) officials have confirmed that some of the cases on the ship are caused by the Andes strain of hantavirus. Three people – a Dutch couple and a German – have died following the outbreak – the first of its kind on a ship.
Infected
Four others confirmed to be infected, two Britons, a Dutch and a Swiss national, are being treated in hospitals in The Netherlands, South Africa and Switzerland. A fifth case is suspected, according to the WHO.
In yesterday’s Saturday Sun, Chief Medical Officer, Dr The Most Honourable Kenneth George, also said Barbados was not at risk of a hantavirus outbreak. He added that while the country had one or two reported cases annually, they were managed successfully.
Lange explained that hantavirus is an RNA virus from the Bunyaviridae family and is generally transmitted through exposure to rodent urine and excrement, particularly when contaminated particles become airborne.
“It’s very rare for an outbreak to happen on a global scale because it has difficulties with transmission between people as opposed to between animals and people by excrement,” she explained.
However, she noted that the Andes strain differs slightly from traditional hantaviruses because there is evidence of occasional human-to-human transmission. “This is one of the reasons why we’re a little bit more concerned.”
The virologist said early symptoms can easily be mistaken for the flu or common respiratory illnesses. “You may feel lethargic or fatigued. You might get a fever, maybe a slight cough. Generally speaking, you may not feel any different from if you were developing the flu or the cold.”
In severe cases, however, the virus can trigger Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome (HPS), a dangerous respiratory condition affecting the lungs.
“It’s not the hantavirus that’s causing death. It’s actually your pulmonary, your lung health, that the virus is exacerbating,” Lange explained.
She said that in Latin America, particularly Brazil, historical outbreaks of HPS have recorded mortality rates of up to 30 per cent among infected patients who developed the syndrome.
The scientist also warned that viruses can evolve over time, referencing lessons learnt during the Ebola and COVID-19 pandemics.
“That particular Ebola virus developed a mutation that allowed it to be transmitted from human to human more passively.
“I keep qualifying that right now I’m not concerned that Barbados could have an outbreak, but it is possible that variants can develop that can then go on to be very good at transmitting from human to human,” she said.
Despite those possibilities, Lange said there was currently no evidence suggesting the Andes strain had mutated into a virus capable of widespread human transmission.
She also revealed that Barbados has experienced hantavirus activity, including the Andes strain. “We do know that hantavirus is in Barbados because between 2010 and 2016, the Best-dos Santos lab did pick it up and did a surveillance study on it.”
The study found that infections appeared to peak during the rainy season, especially in August, and were more common in urban areas where rodent populations and human interaction were higher.
Lange added that the findings reinforced the importance of proper sanitation, food storage and avoiding contact with rodent waste.
But while hantavirus has captured international headlines, she repeatedly returned to what she believes is the Caribbean’s greatest health threat – poor population health driven by soaring rates of diabetes, cardiovascular disease and other NCDs.
“Our region has a really high non-communicable disease prevalence and incidence rate. The less healthy your population is, the less likely you can weather any kind of pandemic.”
The virologist also drew on her extensive international experience responding to major infectious disease threats. Her career has included work with WHO, the United States National Institutes of Health (NIH), the United States Army and pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca.
According to Lange, many of the international surveillance and response systems strengthened after COVID were now helping health authorities respond faster to emerging viral threats.
Still, she said the Caribbean cannot afford to focus only on viruses while ignoring the deeper health vulnerabilities affecting the population. (NS)
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