Cruise ship waiting for help in Atlantic Ocean after 3 die in suspected hantavirus outbreak
ABC7 Los Angeles • • world
Key Points:
- A suspected hantavirus outbreak on the MV Hondius cruise ship off Cape Verde has resulted in three passenger deaths and several seriously ill individuals, with the ship currently denied docking due to public health concerns.
- The Dutch-operated vessel, en route from Argentina to Antarctica, has nearly 150 people aboard, including 87 passengers and 61 crew members, with two crew members urgently needing medical evacuation.
- Hantavirus, a rare rodent-borne illness that can spread through contact with rodent excretions and possibly between people, is under investigation by WHO and local authorities, who are coordinating medical care and risk assessments.
- The ship's itinerary included stops at isolated islands like Saint Helena and Ascension Island, where sick passengers were evacuated to South Africa, which is conducting contact tracing but advises no panic or travel restrictions.
- WHO emphasizes the low risk to the wider public and highlights that while hantavirus can be severe, early medical intervention improves survival chances, with ongoing investigations to identify the outbreak source.
