Three Die in Suspected Hantavirus Outbreak on Atlantic Cruise Ship
Theo Al Jazeera English
Three of six passengers who fell ill aboard the MV Hondius cruise ship have died, with one person in intensive care, according to the WHO. The ship was traveling from Ushuaia, Argentina, to Cape Verde when the suspected hantavirus outbreak occurred.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), a suspected outbreak of hantavirus occurred aboard the MV Hondius cruise ship as it sailed from Ushuaia, Argentina, to Cape Verde. Three people have died, and another is receiving intensive care.
In a statement on June 2, the WHO reported that one case had been confirmed as hantavirus, and at least five other passengers are suspected of being infected. Of the six affected individuals, three have died and one is in intensive care in South Africa. Detailed investigations are underway, including laboratory tests and epidemiological surveys. Medical support is being provided to passengers and crew, and viral sequencing is also being conducted.
The WHO added that it is facilitating coordination between countries to evacuate two other passengers showing symptoms of the disease.
Hantavirus is a rare disease transmitted from rodents to humans through the feces or urine of infected animals. It can cause hemorrhagic fever and be fatal in severe cases.
South Africa's Ministry of Health confirmed that a patient being treated in Johannesburg tested positive for hantavirus. The first patient, aged 70, died on the ship, and his body is being kept on Saint Helena island. The victim's wife, 69, also fell ill and died at a hospital in Johannesburg after being evacuated.
Foster Mohale, spokesperson for South Africa's Ministry of Health, said authorities have not confirmed the nationalities of the deceased. However, according to AFP news agency, the person receiving intensive care is a 69-year-old British citizen.
