Three Dead in Suspected Hantavirus Outbreak on Polar Cruise Ship in Atlantic

Key facts

• Three Dutch nationals have died, including a man aged 70 and a woman aged 69.
• The man died on arrival on St Helena; the woman died in a Johannesburg hospital.
• A 69-year-old British national is in intensive care in Johannesburg with a confirmed hantavirus case.
• The outbreak occurred on the MV Hondius, a polar cruise ship traveling from Argentina to Cape Verde.
• Two crew members are sick on board, but Cape Verde authorities have not authorized disembarkation.
• At least one case of hantavirus has been confirmed by the WHO; one patient is in intensive care in South Africa.
• Hantavirus is rodent-carried and rarely contagious between humans.

A Deadly Outbreak at Sea

Three passengers have died and three more are ill after a suspected hantavirus outbreak on the polar cruise ship MV Hondius, currently stranded off the coast of Cape Verde. The World Health Organization has confirmed at least one case of the rodent-borne virus, which is rarely transmitted between humans.

The Victims: Dutch Nationals and a British Passenger

Among the dead is a Dutch couple — a 70-year-old man and a 69-year-old woman. The man died upon arrival on the island of St Helena, a British territory in the South Atlantic. The woman became ill on board and was evacuated to South Africa, where she died in a Johannesburg hospital. A third Dutch national has also died, and their body remains on the ship. A 69-year-old British national is in intensive care in a private health facility in Sandton, Johannesburg, with a confirmed case of the virus. According to a spokesperson from the South African Department of Health, he became ill while the ship was traveling from St Helena to Ascension Island and was transferred from a hospital in Ascension to South Africa for medical attention.

Stranded Off Cape Verde: No Permission to Disembark

The MV Hondius, operated by Oceanwide Expeditions, is currently off the coast of Cape Verde and has been there for at least 24 hours. The cruise operator has confirmed that two crew members on board are sick and require medical care. However, authorities in Cape Verde have not granted authorization for them to disembark, leaving the ship in limbo.

Hantavirus: A Rare but Severe Threat

Hantavirus is a rodent-carried disease that can cause severe respiratory illness and is rarely contagious between humans. Outbreaks are uncommon, but when they occur, they can be deadly. at least one case on the ship has been confirmed, with one patient in intensive care in a South African hospital. The virus is typically transmitted through contact with rodent droppings, urine, or saliva.

What Comes Next: Medical Care and Investigation

The immediate priority is to secure medical care for the sick crew members still on board, but the lack of authorization from Cape Verde complicates efforts. The South African health authorities are treating the British patient, while the bodies of the deceased remain on the ship or in South Africa. An investigation into the source of the outbreak is likely underway, though no details have been released.

The bottom line

• Three Dutch nationals have died in a suspected hantavirus outbreak on the MV Hondius cruise ship.
• A British national is in intensive care in South Africa with a confirmed hantavirus infection.
• The ship remains off Cape Verde with two sick crew members unable to disembark due to lack of authorization.
• Hantavirus is rodent-carried and rarely spreads between humans, but outbreaks can be fatal.
• The WHO has confirmed at least one case, and one patient is in intensive care in South Africa.