A cruise ship outbreak of hantavirus has led to three suspected deaths on the Hondius while docked off Cape Verde. Health authorities refused the ship permission to dock due to the outbreak. Currently, 149 people remain on board, with two in serious condition.
The deceased include a 70-year-old man and a 69-year-old woman, both from the Netherlands. A German national also died, though the official cause of death is not yet known. One British national is in critical condition in an intensive care unit in Johannesburg.
The Hondius left Argentina three weeks ago en route to the Canary Islands. Health officials are conducting epidemiological investigations and contact tracing to determine how passengers became infected. Hantaviruses are primarily spread through contact with infected rodent excretions.
Key facts:
- Three passengers are suspected to have died from hantavirus on the cruise ship Hondius.
- The World Health Organization stated that the risk to the general public remains low.
- A total of 23 different countries are represented among remaining passengers.
Dr. Hans Henri P. Kluge emphasized that “the risk to the wider public remains low” and there is no need for panic or travel restrictions. Maria Van Kerkhove stated that they are working with authorities to understand the source of exposure through epidemiological investigations.
Health officials plan a medical evacuation for the two symptomatic individuals still on board. Hantavirus infections can be severe in some cases but are typically not easily transmitted between people. However, it remains unclear how passengers on the Hondius came to be infected.
