Felixnews.com – A rare hantavirus infection was reported on the cruise ship MV Hondius, which was sailing in the Atlantic Ocean in May 2026. The WHO reported seven cases (two confirmed, five suspected), including three deaths and one patient in critical condition. The cases began as acute respiratory infections, potentially transmitted through exposure to rodent feces, with rare instances of human-to-human transmission.
The hantavirus outbreak on a cruise ship illustrates how zoonotic diseases—those transmitted by rodents—can emerge suddenly in an interconnected global system.
The World Health Organization (WHO) reported that at least three people died on a cruise ship sailing in the Atlantic Ocean. The WHO stated that one of the deaths was a confirmed case of hantavirus, a disease typically transmitted to humans by rodents.
The outbreak, as reported by AFP on Monday (May 4, 2026), occurred aboard the cruise ship MV Hondius, which was sailing from Ushuaia, Argentina, to Cape Verde.
“To date, one case of hantavirus infection has been confirmed through laboratory testing, and there are five additional suspected cases,” the WHO told AFP on Sunday (May 3) local time.
“Of the six infected individuals, three have died and one is currently in intensive care in South Africa,” the WHO stated.
The South African Ministry of Health told AFP on Sunday (May 3) that there has been an outbreak of “severe acute respiratory illness,” which has killed at least two people, with another person being treated in an intensive care unit in Johannesburg.
According to South African government spokesperson Foster Mohale, the patient being treated in Johannesburg tested positive for the hantavirus, a family of viruses that can cause hemorrhagic fever.
The WHO, in a statement, said that hantavirus infection is “usually associated with environmental exposure (exposure to the urine or feces of infected rodents).”
“Although rare, hantavirus can spread from person to person and can cause severe respiratory illness, requiring careful monitoring, support, and patient management,” the WHO emphasized.
Mohale further stated that the first person on the cruise ship to show symptoms was a 70-year-old male passenger. He died on board, and his body is currently on Saint Helena, a British territory in the South Atlantic.
The second person was a 69-year-old woman, the wife of the man who died on the ship. She fell ill on the ship and was evacuated to South Africa, but she died at a hospital in Johannesburg. The nationality of the couple has not yet been confirmed.
The third person was a 69-year-old British man, who was also evacuated to Johannesburg.
Details of the Hantavirus Outbreak on the MV Hondius Cruise Ship (May 2026)
- Outbreak and Location: An outbreak occurred on the MV Hondius, which was sailing to Cape Verde in West Africa. The ship is currently in quarantine and passengers are not permitted to disembark to prevent the spread of the virus.
- Number of Cases: As of May 4, 2026, 7 cases have been reported: 2 confirmed hantavirus cases, 5 suspected cases.
- Fatalities: 3 deaths have been reported, including a Dutch couple and one German passenger, while one British national is in critical condition in an ICU in South Africa.
- Symptoms: The infection causes Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome (HPS), characterized by fever, gastrointestinal symptoms, dizziness, and acute shortness of breath that progresses to severe pneumonia.
- Transmission: Hantavirus is generally spread through inhalation of particles from dried rodent urine, saliva, or feces. Investigators are looking into the possibility of limited human-to-human transmission, given that cases are concentrated on the ship.
- Action: The World Health Organization (WHO) is conducting an investigation, and critically ill patients are being evacuated.
Sourch: AFP