A rare hantavirus outbreak unfolded on a cruise ship that journeyed from Argentina to Antarctica and then across the Atlantic Ocean, stopping at remote islands along the route where passengers and crew members fell ill. The World Health Organization, the cruise operator, and ship tracking data revealed that it took nearly a month from the first sickness case of an elderly Dutch man in the South Atlantic to confirm hantavirus infections over 3,500 kilometers away in South Africa.
The outbreak resulted in three passenger deaths, with one person in intensive care in a South African hospital and three others evacuated from the ship. An additional person who disembarked earlier in the voyage tested positive for hantavirus in Switzerland. The WHO and local health ministries have confirmed six hantavirus cases as of the latest update.
Hantavirus typically spreads through inhaling contaminated rodent droppings and can rarely transmit from person to person, according to the WHO. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus stated that the public health risk from the outbreak was low but acknowledged the possibility of more cases due to the virus’s extended incubation period.
The MV Hondius departed from southern Argentina on April 1, with the first sickness reported on April 6, leading to the death of a 70-year-old Dutch man on April 11. The ship continued its journey, with subsequent illnesses and fatalities occurring as it reached various destinations, including St. Helena, Ascension Island, and Cape Verde.
The outbreak prompted investigations by the WHO, which coordinated with health authorities in various countries to test and isolate suspected cases. The ship, carrying passengers from multiple nationalities, eventually docked in Spain’s Canary Islands, where passengers were disembarked, isolated, and repatriated to their respective countries.
As of May 11, confirmed hantavirus cases have been reported among passengers who returned to their home countries, with ongoing monitoring and quarantine measures in place to contain any potential spread of the virus.
