Cruise Deaths
Three passengers aboard the MV Hondius have died from a suspected hantavirus outbreak, according to the World Health Organization. The ship was sailing in the Atlantic Ocean. One lab-confirmed case exists, with five additional suspected cases under investigation. One patient is in intensive care in a South African hospital.
The cruise departed from Ushuaia, Argentina, about three weeks ago. The cruise included stops in Antarctica and the Falkland Islands, with a final destination of the Canary Islands. South Africa's Department of Health said that approximately 150 tourists were on board.
Victims Identified
A 70-year-old man died on the ship and his body was removed in Saint Helena, according to the South African health department. His 69-year-old wife collapsed at an airport in South Africa while trying to fly to the Netherlands and died at a nearby hospital. A Dutch Foreign Ministry spokesperson confirmed the deaths of the Dutch couple. The third victim was also Dutch.
A British national is in intensive care in a Johannesburg hospital after becoming ill near Ascension Island.
Ship's Location
The ship is currently off the coast of Cape Verde. Local authorities have not allowed anyone to disembark. Oceanwide Expeditions, the company that runs the cruise, said that two sick crew members require medical care. Cape Verde health officials visited the vessel to assess the condition of the two symptomatic individuals.
Cape Verdi health officials said the situation is under control and there's no risk to people on land. They will not let the vessel dock at the port of its capital, Praia.
Hantavirus Details
Hantavirus spreads through contact with the urine or feces of infected rodents. Hantavirus can cause a severe lung infection called hantavirus pulmonary syndrome. The WHO said that hantavirus infections can be spread between people, though this is rare. There is no specific treatment or cure. Early medical attention can increase the chance of survival.
The WHO's regional director for Europe, Dr Hans Henri P. Kluge, said the risk to the wider public remains low.
Evacuation Efforts
The Dutch foreign ministry is looking into medically evacuating a few people from the ship. The WHO is working with national authorities and the ship's operators to conduct a public health risk assessment. South Africa's National Institute for Communicable Diseases is conducting contact tracing in Johannesburg.
The U.K. Foreign Office is monitoring reports and ready to support British nationals.
