What to Know
A travel influencer on the MV Hondius cruise ship amid the hantavirus outbreak shared an emotional update on social media and reminded people that the passengers on the affected ship are more than “just a story.”
The outbreak has been getting a lot of attention and also sparking fear on social media as people learn more about it. Details remain uncertain—for both the general public and passengers alike, which the Boston-based travel influencer emphasized in his video.
Jake Rosmarin is a Boston-based influencer with nearly 60,000 Instagram followers.
He has shared several updates while on the MV Hondius cruise ship, including a vulnerable video in which he tearfully talked about what he and other passengers are going through.
“I normally wouldn’t make a video like this, but I feel like I need to say something, so I wrote a few things down,” he started. “I am currently on board the MV Hondius, and what’s happening right now is very real for all of us here.”
He continued, “We’re not just a story, we’re not just headlines. We’re people, people with families, with lives, with people waiting for us at home.”
He also talked about the most difficult part of being on the ship.
And, basically, although he clarified in the caption that Oceanwide Expeditions (the company operating the cruise) and the crew have been dealing with the terrifying situation “to the best of their ability,” there are still a lot of unknowns.
“There’s a lot of uncertainty, and that’s the hardest part,” Jake said. “All we want right now is to feel safe, to have clarity and to get home, so if you’re seeing coverage about this, just remember that there are real people behind it and this isn’t something happening far away. It’s happening to us right now.”
He added, “I’ll share more when I can, but for now I just ask for your kindness and understanding.”
He’s posted a few other updates.
In a follow-up post after he shared the initial video, Jake noted that he didn’t want to make people worry. He wrote, “Right now, the priority is making sure those who are sick receive the care they need, as well as getting to a place where we can safely disembark and access medical support. Everyone onboard is doing okay, and the focus continues to be on keeping everyone safe and informed.”
He also added, “There’s still some uncertainty, but it’s reassuring to know there is a plan in place, and I hope to be able to share more updates soon.”
Amid the hantavirus outbreak, three passengers have died and several others have gotten sick. On May 6, The New York Times reported that three people with symptoms were evacuated from the ship to receive treatment. Some people who were on the ship have already returned home and are being monitored for symptoms, according to the publication.
There were still nearly 150 on board that day as the ship headed for Spain’s Canary Islands. Human-to-human transmission is not typical of hantaviruses, but it is possible with the Andes strain. The World Health Organization has confirmed that patients evacuated from the ship have the Andes variant.
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