A hantavirus outbreak suspected on a cruise vessel in the Atlantic Ocean has resulted in the deaths of three individuals and afflicted at least three others, as reported by the World Health Organization (WHO) and South Africa’s Department of Health on Sunday. WHO stated that an investigation is underway, confirming at least one case of hantavirus, a virus transmitted through contact with rodents or their excreta found worldwide.
The United Nations health agency informed that one patient is in critical condition at a South African hospital, and efforts are being made to evacuate two other symptomatic passengers from the ship. WHO mentioned ongoing detailed investigations, including further laboratory tests and epidemiological inquiries, while ensuring medical care and support to passengers and crew and continuing the sequencing of the virus.
The outbreak occurred on the MV Hondius cruise ship, which departed Argentina about three weeks ago for a voyage including Antarctica, the Falkland Islands, and en route to Spain’s Canary Islands. The ship, identified by MarineTraffic as a Dutch-flagged passenger cruise vessel, was docked in Praia, Cape Verde, on Sunday night.
The initial victim, a 70-year-old man, passed away on the ship, and his body was disembarked in Saint Helena. Subsequently, his wife collapsed at a South African airport and later died at a nearby hospital. Another patient in critical condition, a British national, fell ill near Ascension Island and was transferred to a hospital in Johannesburg from South Africa.
Approximately 150 tourists were onboard during the outbreak, with the ship typically accommodating around 70 crew members. South Africa’s National Institute for Communicable Diseases is conducting contact tracing in Johannesburg to identify potential exposure to the infected passengers. Although hantavirus infections are uncommon, WHO highlighted the potential for person-to-person transmission leading to severe respiratory illness, emphasizing the importance of early medical intervention despite the lack of a specific treatment or cure.