US EditionSuspected Hantavirus Outbreak Kills 3 On Polar Cruise Ship
WHO is coordinating testing and contact tracing after one case was confirmed and five others were suspected aboard the vessel, officials said.
- On Sunday, the World Health Organization confirmed one hantavirus case and five suspected infections aboard the cruise ship MV Hondius off Cape Verde. Of six affected passengers, three have died and one remains in intensive care.
- The Dutch-flagged vessel operated by Oceanwide Expeditions departed Argentina on March 20 for Cape Verde. Hantavirus typically spreads through contact with infected rodent urine or feces, though rare human-to-human transmission is possible.
- A 70-year-old passenger died on board with his body transferred to Saint Helena, while his 69-year-old wife died in a Johannesburg hospital. A 69-year-old British national remains in intensive care in South Africa.
- South African Health Department spokesperson Foster Mohale confirmed investigations underway, while the WHO coordinates medical evacuations for symptomatic passengers. The National Institute for Communicable Diseases is conducting contact tracing in the Johannesburg region.
- The incident raises concerns about maritime infectious disease surveillance and management protocols on cruise vessels. Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome carries approximately 38 per cent mortality in severe cases, making early medical intervention critical for survival.
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AMPLIFY Urges Passengers Affected by Cruise Ship Hantavirus Outbreak to Seek Legal Guidance
MIAMI, May 04, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- AMPLIFY, a leading authority-focused public relations and legal communications firm, is urging passengers impacted by the recent cruise ship outbreak of Hantavirus to understand their rights and explore potential legal options. Reports of the outbreak have raised serious concerns about onboard health protocols, sanitation standards, and the duty of care owed by cruise operators to passengers and crew. Whil…
The vessel MV Hondius remains anchored off the coast of Cape Verde after six contagions and one emergency medical evacuation to South Africa have been recorded.
Cape Verde authorities have banned docking in their ports on a cruise ship at the center of a suspected outbreak of hantavirus after the death of three passengers.
Infectious Diseases | One in Three People Infected with Hantavirus Could Die From Cruise Ship Spread
According to Professor Olli Vapalahti, it may be an Andes-type virus that is transmitted from person to person. The disease is unlikely to cause a pandemic, he estimates.
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