The World Health Organisation on Friday officially confirmed a hantavirus outbreak linked to the cruise ship MV Hondius after eight people fell ill and three passengers died during the voyage. Health authorities said the outbreak involved the Andes strain of hantavirus, one of the rare variants capable of limited human-to-human transmission under specific circumstances.
According to the WHO, six of the eight infections have been laboratory-confirmed through PCR testing, while two additional cases are currently being treated as probable infections based on symptoms and exposure history. The outbreak was first formally reported on May 2 when the ship was carrying 147 passengers and crew members on board.
The agency also noted that another 34 individuals had already disembarked from the vessel before authorities became aware of the outbreak, increasing concerns about contact tracing and international monitoring efforts across multiple countries.
The cruise ship departed from Cabo Verde on May 6 and is currently travelling toward the Canary Islands off the coast of Spain, where the remaining passengers are expected to leave the vessel. Health officials are continuing surveillance measures as the ship proceeds toward its destination.
Of the infected individuals, four patients remain hospitalised in South Africa, the Netherlands and Switzerland. Another suspected patient who had earlier been transferred to Germany later tested negative for the virus, according to the WHO.
The UN health agency assessed the overall risk to the wider global population as low, stressing that hantaviruses generally do not spread easily between people. However, officials described the risk onboard the ship as moderate because passengers and crew were living in close quarters for an extended period of time, which may have facilitated limited transmission.
Investigators believe the first infected individual may have contracted the virus before boarding the vessel, possibly during earlier travel through Argentina and Chile, where Andes virus infections are known to occur. Health experts suspect subsequent infections likely happened on board the cruise ship after close exposure among travellers.
Hantaviruses are typically transmitted through contact with infected rodents or exposure to their urine, saliva or droppings. The Andes virus strain is considered especially concerning because, unlike most hantavirus variants, it has demonstrated rare cases of person-to-person transmission.
Symptoms usually begin with flu-like signs such as fever, muscle pain, fatigue and headaches, but severe cases can rapidly progress into respiratory complications, organ failure and death. Medical experts have warned that early diagnosis and supportive treatment are critical in severe infections.
The WHO said it is now working closely with national governments and health agencies to trace contacts, monitor exposed passengers and strengthen disease surveillance linked to the outbreak.
Meanwhile, Donald Trump sought to reassure the public about the situation while speaking to reporters on Friday.
“It seems to be okay. Not easy to pass on, so we hope that’s true,” Trump said while commenting on the outbreak and concerns surrounding transmission.
