Three passengers have died and at least three others are critically ill following a suspected hantavirus outbreak on the MV Hondius, a Dutch expedition cruise ship currently anchored off the coast of Cape Verde, with a British national among the seriously ill being treated at a private hospital in Johannesburg.
The MV Hondius, operated by Oceanwide Expeditions, departed Ushuaia in Argentina approximately seven weeks ago on a voyage that took it through Antarctica and the British Overseas Territory of Saint Helena before the outbreak was identified.
Two of the confirmed dead are Dutch nationals. The first victim, a 70-year-old man, died on arrival at Saint Helena after falling ill with a fever, headache, abdominal pain and diarrhoea.
His 69-year-old wife later collapsed at an airport in South Africa while attempting to board a connecting flight to the Netherlands and died at a nearby hospital, as reported by NBC News.
South Africa’s link to the hantavirus cruise ship outbreak
The South African connection extends beyond the transit death. A British national who became ill while the vessel was sailing between Saint Helena and Ascension Island is currently in critical condition at a private medical facility in Johannesburg.
His is the only case to test positive for hantavirus in a laboratory setting thus far, as reported by CNN.
The World Health Organisation has confirmed one case and flagged five additional suspected infections. The MV Hondius remains anchored off Praia, the capital of Cape Verde, with passengers unable to disembark.
A letter issued to passengers states the vessel is “awaiting approval to disembark” from local authorities.
What hantavirus is and how it spreads
Hantavirus is a rare infectious disease most commonly contracted through contact with infected rodents, specifically through inhaling particles from their droppings, urine or saliva.
In rare instances, human-to-human transmission is possible. The disease can progress rapidly to severe respiratory failure and carries a significant fatality rate when not treated promptly.
The specific strain responsible for this outbreak has not been publicly confirmed. Authorities have not disclosed how passengers may have been exposed to rodents during what was predominantly an ocean voyage, and that question remained unanswered at the time of publishing.
Cape Verde health authorities and the WHO are actively investigating the source and spread of the outbreak. The ship’s operator, Oceanwide Expeditions, has issued a public statement acknowledging the deaths and confirming that all possible medical assistance is being coordinated for affected passengers.
Remaining passengers aboard the vessel are in contact with their respective consulates as disembarkation approval is sought.
