Three Dead and One Confirmed with Rare Hantavirus Infection on Atlantic Ocean Cruise Ship

Kathmandu, April 21 – Three passengers have died aboard a cruise ship sailing in the Atlantic Ocean, with at least one confirmed case of hantavirus infection, a rare disease transmitted by rodents. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), an investigation is ongoing regarding a possible hantavirus outbreak on the MV Hondius cruise ship en route from Ushuaia, Argentina, to Cape Verde.
In a statement released on Saturday, WHO confirmed one case of hantavirus infection and indicated that an additional five passengers are suspected to be infected.
“Among the six affected individuals, three have died, and one is currently receiving treatment in an intensive care unit (ICU) in South Africa,” the statement said. WHO reports that further laboratory tests and epidemiological investigations are ongoing. Passengers and crew members are being provided with necessary healthcare and support, and viral genome sequencing is in progress.
Coordination between countries continues to facilitate the rescue of two other passengers showing symptoms. Hantavirus is a rare disease transmitted to humans through contact with rodent urine or feces. It can cause severe bleeding fever (hemorrhagic fever) and can be fatal in serious cases.
South Africa’s Ministry of Health had earlier confirmed on Saturday that a “serious acute respiratory illness” outbreak had occurred, with at least two deaths reported. The third infected individual remains in ICU in Johannesburg. Ministry spokespeople confirmed that hantavirus has been diagnosed in the patient receiving treatment in Johannesburg.
The first symptomatic individual, a 70-year-old man, died aboard the ship. His body is currently held on Saint Helena Island, a British territory in the South Atlantic. His 69-year-old wife also fell ill and was transported to South Africa, where she died in a hospital in Johannesburg. The nationalities of the deceased have not been confirmed, but the patient currently in ICU is reported to be a 69-year-old British citizen.