A hantavirus outbreak has struck the luxury cruise ship MV Hondius, which is now set to sail to the Canary Islands after medical evacuations. The Dutch-flagged vessel, operated by Oceanwide Expeditions, departed Ushuaia in southern Argentina in late March on an Antarctic nature expedition visiting remote islands including South Georgia and Tristan da Cunha.0
Three passengers have died: a Dutch couple and a German national. Several others are ill, including a British patient in intensive care in South Africa and two crew members needing urgent care. Seven confirmed and suspected cases have been reported. No new symptomatic cases have emerged recently aboard the ship, which carries around 150 passengers and crew, mostly from Britain, the US, and Spain.0
The ship is currently moored off Cape Verde, which refused docking as a precaution. Health authorities plan to evacuate the remaining sick individuals before allowing the vessel to proceed to the Canaries. The World Health Organization is investigating possible limited human-to-human transmission, potentially linked to the Andes strain common in Argentina, though hantavirus typically spreads via infected rodents.0
Contact tracing is underway for over 80 people on a flight from Saint Helena to Johannesburg taken by one victim. Genetic sequencing of the virus is in progress. Officials stress the risk to the general public remains low. Passengers face uncertainty while confined, as authorities work to resolve the situation safely.
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