Human-to-human hantavirus transmission suspected on board stranded cruise ship, WHO says

Key Points:

• A cruise ship, the Dutch-flagged Hondius, carrying nearly 150 passengers has been marooned in the Atlantic near Cape Verde due to a hantavirus outbreak, with at least three deaths and several confirmed or suspected cases aboard.
• The World Health Organization (WHO) suspects the virus is the Andes variant, which can transmit between humans, and believes limited human-to-human transmission occurred among close contacts on the ship.
• Two ill crew members, one with severe symptoms, require urgent medical evacuation to the Netherlands before the ship can proceed to the Canary Islands for further medical screening.
• The outbreak began between April 6 and 28, with symptoms including fever, respiratory distress, and shock; investigations continue into possible exposure to local wildlife, though no rats were found on the ship.
• Oceanwide Expeditions is managing the crisis with strict isolation and hygiene protocols, while passengers express fear and a desire for clarity and safe repatriation, and Spanish health authorities prepare to board for assessment.