The Regional Hospital of Malaga Prepares an Internal Preventive Protocol Against Hantavirus

José Antonio Sau

There has been no declared alert or hospital admissions at the Regional University Hospital of Málaga for hantavirus, the pathology detected in an outbreak on the MV Hondius cruise ship that has caused three deaths and several infections. Over a week ago, the hospital staff reviewed their technical capabilities and the available material resources to face such a situation. Following the reception of a hantavirus protocol from the Ministry of Health by all hospitals in the country, including the former Carlos Haya, the complex held a meeting last week with the involved services to shape an internal protocol of its own, currently under development, with a preventive aim.

Health sources insist that the action taken has been fundamentally a "tune-up" of the existing circuits to ensure that the system is prepared for any suspicion, without implying an immediate risk to the population.

Health sources insist that the action taken has been a "tune-up" to ensure that the system is prepared for any suspicion.

Biologist Ana María Ortega Prieto, co-researcher responsible for the 'Immune Response to Viral Infections' group at IBIMA Bionand Platform, explained to SUR in an interview that "it is usual for people to get infected by inhaling particles contaminated with urine, feces, or saliva of infected rodents, for example, when cleaning closed spaces where there have been mice." However, in this specific outbreak, the Andes virus is discussed, "which can be transmitted between people, although this is rare and usually requires close and prolonged contact."

The risk is low

This disease, this expert in infections assured, can "cause severe diseases and death in humans." In the case of the Andes virus, it can cause what is known as hantavirus cardiopulmonary syndrome. "Initially, it may seem like a flu infection, leading to fever, muscle pain, fatigue, and abdominal discomfort. However, within a few days, it can rapidly worsen and lead to severe, even fatal conditions," she emphasized.

For the general population of the country, "the risk is low, as we are facing a very localized episode and probably due to exposure in an area where the virus circulates naturally. However, that the risk is low does not mean that it should be minimized."

Contingency Plan

Health sources consulted by this newspaper explain that the center always works with contingency plans for unforeseen situations. After the news of the air transfer of possible affected individuals, the hospital activated internal meetings with the involved services—Infectious Diseases, Preventive Medicine and Public Health, Occupational Risk Prevention, Emergency, and ICU—to review their technical and organizational capabilities.

"It's not about alarming, but being prepared," explain the health sources consulted by SUR, framing everything in a preventive decision.

"It's not about alarming, but being prepared," the sources state. The protocol that the hospital is finishing drafting aligns with the guidelines sent by the Ministry of Health.

Hantavirus is classified as a level 3 biological agent, but in the absence of specific treatment, it may require protection measures equivalent to level 4. Therefore, the hospital has checked the availability and condition of individual protection equipment, including full-body suits, sealed goggles, and isolation systems similar to those used during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Being Prepared

The center also has areas prepared for the admission of patients with infectious diseases, equipped with HEPA filters and negative pressure systems to prevent the spread of the virus. These areas allow for the care of both hospitalized patients and those requiring intensive care.

In case a person arrived at the Emergency Department with compatible symptoms, they would be directly referred to a specific biological risk area.

If a person arrived at the Emergency Department with compatible symptoms, they would be directly referred to a specific biological risk area, designed with controlled air renewal and enhanced isolation measures. There, a clinical assessment would be conducted, and if necessary, the epidemiological study and contact tracing would be activated in coordination with Public Health and Primary Care.

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