The hantavirus outbreak on the cruise ship MV Hondius is significantly less contagious than Covid-19, according to the head of the Dutch hospital treating one of the victims, who spoke with AFP Thursday.
Karin Ellen Veldkamp, chief of infectious diseases at Leiden University Medical Centre, told AFPTV that her section was prepared to accept additional patients if necessary.
When asked if the hantavirus may be the new Covid-19, Veldkamp responded, “No, it is not like that; it is not easily transmitted from person to person.
“We know (person-to-person transmission) is possible and we suspect that has happened on the boat… but it is not like Covid, (transmission) is much more difficult,” she added.
Veldkamp declined to provide specific information on the patient who arrived at the hospital on Wednesday night but said the facility was well-equipped for such situations.
Patients are housed in isolation rooms and cared for by well-trained staff who follow strict disease control standards, she noted.
“Our principle is that we simply care good care of the patient. We don’t refuse to go in (to the isolation room). We are just well trained to do that in a safe way,” said Veldkamp.
In general, patients are kept in isolation as long as they exhibit symptoms, she explained.
When they feel better, they are tested, and if the results are negative, isolation is lifted.
“We do not know exactly how long someone can carry the virus. But we assume that once someone is feeling better, they are no longer contagious,” she said.
The center in Leiden is used to treat patients with comparable communicable disorders, according to the doctor, who added that more beds were available in the event of an outbreak.
“And there are several hospitals in the Netherlands that can do this, so we can share out the burden a bit,” she said.
