Suspected Hantavirus Outbreak on Cruise Ship Kills Three, Sickens Others in Atlantic

Cape Town, South Africa , A suspected outbreak of hantavirus aboard a cruise ship in the Atlantic Ocean has killed three people, including an elderly Dutch couple, and sickened at least three others, health authorities reported Sunday.

The World Health Organization (WHO) confirmed that at least one case of hantavirus has been verified, and investigations are ongoing. One patient is currently in intensive care at a hospital in Johannesburg, South Africa, while two other symptomatic crew members remain onboard and may require medical evacuation.

The Dutch Foreign Ministry stated that it is exploring options to medically evacuate those in urgent need. The ship, the Dutch-flagged MV Hondius, is currently off the coast of Cape Verde, where local authorities are providing assistance but have not allowed anyone to disembark.

WHO Europe’s regional director, Dr. Hans Henri P. Kluge, reassured the public, saying, “The risk to the wider public remains low. There is no need for panic or travel restrictions.” Cape Verdean authorities also confirmed that the situation is under control and poses no risk to residents on land, although the vessel has not been permitted to dock in the capital, Praia.

Hantaviruses, which are spread primarily through contact with the urine or feces of infected rodents, can cause severe illnesses including hantavirus pulmonary syndrome and hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome. While human-to-human transmission is rare, early medical intervention can improve survival rates, though no specific treatment or cure exists.

Cruise Itinerary and Victims

The MV Hondius departed Argentina three weeks ago, following a cruise itinerary that included visits to Antarctica, the Falkland Islands, and Ascension Island, with a planned destination of the Canary Islands. Approximately 150 passengers and 70 crew members were onboard.

The first fatality was a 70-year-old man who died aboard the ship and whose body was removed at Saint Helena in the South Atlantic. His wife collapsed at an airport in South Africa while attempting to fly home to the Netherlands and died in a nearby hospital. A third victim remains onboard near Cape Verde.

The British national currently in intensive care fell ill near Ascension Island and was transferred to South Africa for treatment. WHO and national authorities are conducting epidemiological investigations, laboratory testing, and virus sequencing to better understand the outbreak.

Response Measures

Oceanwide Expeditions, which operates the cruise, said that ensuring urgent medical care for the ill crew members is its top priority. South Africa’s National Institute for Communicable Diseases is conducting contact tracing in Johannesburg to determine potential exposure among local residents.

WHO emphasized that a full public health risk assessment is underway, and passengers and crew continue to receive support and medical monitoring.