A hantavirus outbreak tied to a cruise ship off Cape Verde has grown to seven cases, including two confirmed infections, the World Health Organization (WHO) said, with three deaths among those linked to the voyage.
The Dutch-flagged MV Hondius is carrying 147 passengers and crew from 23 countries.
Of the seven cases identified, one British passenger is in intensive care in Johannesburg and was confirmed to have hantavirus.
A Dutch passenger who died after disembarking in the British Overseas Territory of Saint Helena also tested positive. She had left the ship with the remains of her husband, who died on board in April.
Three additional suspected cases with mild symptoms remain on board, the WHO said. The cause of death of a German passenger who died on May 2 has not been established.
Hantavirus is a rare infection typically spread through exposure to infected urine, saliva and droppings from rodents. In severe cases, it can cause hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, which can progress rapidly to respiratory failure and shock.
Two crew members – one with mild symptoms and one severe – require urgent medical care, Oceanwide Expeditions BV, the Dutch operator of the MV Hondius, said late on May 4, adding that no other symptomatic cases had been identified.
Dutch authorities are preparing a medical evacuation of the two crew members and another individual linked to the German passenger who died, potentially using specialised aircraft with medical teams, the company said.
The operation has not been finalised and timing remains unclear.
Passengers will not be allowed to disembark in Cape Verde, with only those requiring medical evacuation expected to leave the vessel there.
The company is considering sailing to the Canary Islands for broader disembarkation and medical screening, though plans have not been confirmed.
Symptoms among cases have ranged from fever and gastrointestinal illness to rapidly progressing pneumonia, respiratory failure and shock, with illness onset between April 6 and April 28, according to the WHO.
Investigations are underway to determine the source of exposure and the specific hantavirus strain involved.
Hantavirus infections are typically linked to contact with infected rodents or contaminated environments.
While person-to-person transmission is rare, it has been documented in limited outbreaks involving certain strains, including Andes virus found in South America. The overall risk to the global population remains low, the WHO said.
Because the ship is sailing under a Dutch flag, the Netherlands is coordinating consular assistance for passengers, including for those with other nationalities, the country’s foreign ministry said in a statement on May 4. BLOOMBERG
