Experts say the outbreak, while serious, is unlikely to spread widely due to the virus" transmission profile. Limited person-to-person transmission of the Andes virus has previously been documented in Argentina and Chile, mainly within households or tightly confined settings, according to public health records.

　　German virologist Jonas Schmidt-Chanasit of the Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine described the cruise ship as "a real incubator" for infectious disease transmission compared with settings on land or in hospitals, due to limited space and closer contact between individuals.

　　Thomas Hofmann, expert of the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), said that even if limited transmission were to occur among evacuated passengers, the virus is not easily spread between humans, making widespread outbreaks unlikely. He added that the natural rodent host of the virus, Oligoryzomys longicaudatus, is not present in Europe, reducing the risk of sustained local transmission.

　　The ECDC has issued a threat assessment brief, recommending targeted testing and monitoring of passengers and crew, as well as guidance for handling arrivals at European Union entry points. It said the risk to the general population in Europe remains "very low" and widespread transmission is not expected.

　　According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), hantavirus pulmonary syndrome typically begins with fatigue, fever and muscle aches, followed by coughing and shortness of breath as the lungs fill with fluid days later.

　　No specific antiviral treatment or widely available vaccine exists for hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, the severe respiratory illness associated with Andes virus infection. Its treatment remains primarily supportive.