WHO Investigates Possible Hantavirus Human-to-Human Transmission on Cruise Ship
WHO says seven people fell ill and three died aboard the ship, and investigators are testing whether close contacts spread the virus.
- As of May 4, the World Health Organization reported seven hantavirus cases linked to the Dutch-flagged expedition ship MV Hondius, including three deaths; the vessel remains anchored off Cape Verde after authorities denied docking permission.
- Health officials suspect the initial cases contracted the Andes virus via rodent exposure during an Argentine expedition, though WHO Director for Epidemic and Pandemic Preparedness and Prevention Dr. Maria Van Kerkhove said human-to-human transmission among close contacts cannot be ruled out.
- Nearly 150 people, including 88 passengers and 61 crew, are isolating in their cabins while Cape Verdean medical teams provide support; Oceanwide Expeditions confirmed the ship maintains the highest response level with strict hygiene protocols and medical monitoring.
- Authorities are coordinating medical evacuations for three symptomatic individuals to the Netherlands while the ship plans to proceed to the Canary Islands, where Spanish officials are currently reviewing the docking request for disinfection and investigation.
- Experts emphasize human-to-human hantavirus transmission remains rare, posing low risk to the wider public, while South Africa's National Institute for Communicable Diseases is sequencing the virus to confirm the specific strain and guide containment.
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593 Articles
Contact Tracing Underway in Cruise Hantavirus Outbreak
Passengers from a luxury Antarctic cruise are now at the center of a worldwide contact tracing mission, the Wall Street Journal reports. The MV Hondius, which carried tourists to remote southern waters, has become the focus of an urgent international effort after three deaths and five infections so far were...
Hantavirus: SA confirms Andes strain, can spread between humans
South Africa’s National Institute for Communicable Diseases has identified the Andes variant of hantavirus, which is capable of spreading between humans. SOUTH AFRICA IDENTIFIES ANDES STRAIN OF HANTAVIRUS Hantaviruses is a group of viruses carried by rodents that can cause severe disease in humans. The virus is picked up through contact with infected rodents or their urine, droppings or saliva. How did Hantavirus reach Johannesburg? So it all st…
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