The World Health Organization confirmed two hantavirus cases and five suspected cases among passengers and crew on the MV Hondius, a cruise ship anchored off Cape Verde. Three people have died, including a Dutch couple and a British passenger, while one patient remains in critical condition and three others report mild symptoms. Illnesses began between April 6 and April 28, 2026, during the voyage from Ushuaia, Argentina, to Cape Verde. Symptoms included fever, gastrointestinal issues, rapid pneumonia progression, acute respiratory distress syndrome and shock.
One infected passenger flew from Saint Helena to Johannesburg on April 25 and died the next day upon arrival at a hospital. WHO confirmed the case via PCR testing on May 4 and initiated contact tracing for others on that flight. The cruise includes people from 23 nationalities, with 147 on board, including crew from the Philippines and passengers from Britain, Spain and the United States. Oceanwide Expeditions, the ship's operator, said a British passenger is in intensive care in Johannesburg and two crew members—one British, one Dutch—need urgent medical care.
Three of the seven identified cases are no longer on the ship. The Dutch woman who died in South Africa had gastrointestinal symptoms before her condition worsened during the flight. WHO says the global risk remains low and investigations are ongoing. The virus is primarily spread through contact with infected rodents, though rare human-to-human transmission has occurred in past outbreaks.
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