Amid global concern, the World Health Organization (WHO) has verified five hantavirus cases connected to a cruise ship outbreak, with three more cases under suspicion. Among the eight severe respiratory illness cases identified, three resulted in fatalities, with five confirmed as Andes virus infections. WHO has alerted 12 countries whose citizens disembarked from the cruise ship MV Hondius at Saint Helena in the South Atlantic Ocean during the voyage.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus stated in a briefing that the outbreak is expected to remain “limited” if prompt and effective public health measures are put in place. However, there is a possibility of additional cases as authorities track exposed passengers and contacts across multiple countries. Diagnostic kits for hantavirus are being dispatched to five countries from laboratories in Argentina.
The MV Hondius, operated by Oceanwide Expeditions, currently carries 149 individuals of 23 nationalities. Two suspected hantavirus patients evacuated from the ship are awaiting a replacement aircraft in Spain’s Canary Islands due to a technical issue. The aircraft, en route to Amsterdam from Cape Verde, faced a malfunction during a refueling stop in Marrakesh, Morocco.
Spain has announced its decision to receive the MV Hondius in the Canary Islands as part of international law and humanitarian principles. The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) is evaluating the situation on board to determine the need for urgent evacuation in Cape Verde. The remaining passengers and crew are expected to reach the Canary Islands within three to four days.
