Two Singapore residents who were on board hantavirus-hit cruise ship test negative

Added: 2026-05-09

[00:00:00]The World Health Organization says the risk of a deadly global hantavirus outbreak remains, I quote, "absolutely low." But warns more cases could emerge.

[00:00:10]It stresses that precautions must be taken to limit the spread. Health officials are racing to map the outbreak and trace passengers who left an infected cruise ship before the outbreak was detected. Three people on board died from the virus.

[00:00:26]The WHO has confirmed five cases so far.

[00:00:29]A flight attendant for Dutch airline KLM has tested negative after reportedly coming into contact with a sick cruise ship passenger. A third British national is suspected to have the virus.

[00:00:42]While Spain has detected a possible case, it prepares to receive the remaining passengers on board the MV Hodeidah's, set to reach the Canary Islands this weekend.

[00:00:52]And the two Singapore residents being monitored for possible hantavirus symptoms have tested negative for the virus. They were isolated at the National Centre for Infectious Diseases upon arrival in Singapore this week.

[00:01:06]They will continue to be quarantined for 30 days from the date of last exposure and will be tested again before being released. Both men were on the cruise ship where the initial hantavirus outbreak was detected last month.

[00:01:20]NCID's Executive Director John Associate Professor Shawn Vasu joins us now via Zoom. Now, Dr. Vasu, you've been monitoring the two quarantined cases.

[00:01:30]Can you give us an update on their condition right now?

[00:01:35]Yes, um both gentlemen have tested negative for the virus and they remain well. And so now they have entered into the period of quarantine, which is a further uh 30 days from the time of their last exposure. And then after that, they will undergo phone surveillance for a uh further 15 days, which is the maximum incubation period we know of this particular hunter virus which is known as Andes virus which was cause of the outbreak on the cruise ship. Yeah, so how did you test at the two residents for hunter virus? Can you talk us through the process and also how long it takes?

[00:02:13]Uh well, testing is performed at our national public health lab which is under the communicable disease agency at about house in the NCID building. Uh this chiefly is done by molecular test called PCR and other sequencing methods to look for the virus in the blood and other bodily samples from the patient. So it's important to note that actually both you should more properly refer to them as both persons under evaluation and of course they were actually contacts from the cruise ship and actually were well, they never had disease and they have remained well. Uh but it's a precautionary measures part of our surveillance system.

[00:02:59]We evaluated them physically and also tested for the virus. Yeah, so what is it like to be under isolation at NCID and what will these persons under evaluation be doing during their stay?

[00:03:14]Um yes, so when they enter to be evaluated they'll be interviewed by our medical staff.

[00:03:23]We'll take a full history and also physically examine them. May undergo x-rays and also as part of the contact tracing efforts officers from the communicable disease agency will be going through the detailed itinerary to determine any possible exposures or contacts and where they've been on this trip they've been on. Uh and as part of the evaluation then would be then testing the samples for the presence of the virus.

[00:03:55]I think this was done out of caution.

[00:03:57]Both patients actually did not have symptoms.

[00:04:01]They were well. They did not have fever, but they were part of this unfortunate outbreak on the cruise ship. One of them had a bit of nasal congestion which resolved. We are thankful that both have tested negative and then they were entered into their period of quarantine. Obviously, this is quite long time in isolation.

[00:04:20]So, patients generally however have to remain under isolation so that if they do develop disease we can render the medical support and do offer repeat testing and also provide the medical care and that they need, but it's important to emphasize that these two persons that were on the cruise ship were thankful that their initial tests are negative and they remain well and will be continuing to observe them.

[00:04:47]Yeah, during this period of observation, Dr. Vasu, are there additional measures when you or the NCID staff interact with those quarantined that you have to take especially with the exposure involved?

[00:05:00]Yes, so NCID is a purpose-built facility with isolation room staff. Of course, protecting staff, patients, and visitors will be key.

[00:05:10]When staff meet with the patients, they of course donned or they put on their full protective equipment, protective gear. And also patients isolated in negative pressure single isolation rooms with the proper air handling. So, this prevents spread of any disease or pathogens. And this is not unique specifically to hantavirus, but also for any other emerging infectious diseases that we have to deal with. Yeah, and speaking of precautions as well, how can all of us protect ourselves against hantavirus? And how common is it with this virus in this part of the world?

[00:05:53]Yeah, so hantavirus is not relatively to other viruses is not a very as common an infection and it is important to note that actually hantavirus in general does not spread person to person. There are over 23 species of hantaviruses described and the current outbreak is caused by a particular hantavirus species called the Andes virus and it is the only hantavirus known to be able to spread from human to human. Usually hantaviruses are spread through rodent and contaminated rodent droppings and they gets into environment through soil, dust or the environmental material and when that is agitated, unfortunately, people inhale contaminated dust or other material with the virus and that's the main way hantaviruses in general are transmitted. However, the Andes virus, which is the cause of the current outbreak, is the only hantavirus and it is mainly found in certain parts in South America, mainly some of the countries like Argentina and Chile where this endemic or where it circulate and that is the only hantavirus spread human to human and so in general for the public, I mean, if you're not exposed to rodent, rodent droppings, then your risk is really really low but in general for hantaviruses but specifically for this outbreak then observe it is the persons on the ship were had that human to human spread because it was this particular species of hantavirus but the risk to the public in Singapore is very low. We're not expecting an outbreak. In fact, the we're thankful that the two persons who we evaluated tested negative and they are in quarantine right now and we wish them that they would would have a complete their course of quarantine and that they will remain well. So, there's no cause for alarm panic and but in general, I think to avoid hantavirus infections in general, if you're going to areas really to observe good hygiene, avoid rodent rodent droppings and stirring up dust unnecessarily and it yeah >> [laughter] >> and basically you know, if you are yeah.

[00:08:16]Oh, thank you so much Dr. Vasu for all your insights today. I've been chatting with adjunct associate professor Shawn Vasu from NCIID.