Three people have died due to a hantavirus outbreak on the MV Hondius, which is currently in the Atlantic Ocean. The World Health Organization (WHO) confirmed these fatalities, raising alarms about the transmission of this severe disease.
As of early Tuesday, one case of hantavirus infection has been laboratory confirmed, along with five additional suspected cases. The first victim was a 70-year-old passenger who developed symptoms and died on board.
The body of the first victim was transferred to the island of Saint Helena. Subsequently, the 69-year-old wife of the first victim also fell ill and later died in a Johannesburg hospital.
A 69-year-old British man is currently in intensive care in Johannesburg. He is among those suspected of having contracted the virus.
The MV Hondius was traveling from Ushuaia, Argentina to Cape Verde when the outbreak occurred. The vessel has a capacity of 170 passengers and is operated by Dutch tour company Oceanwide Expeditions.
The WHO stated that hantavirus infections are typically linked to environmental exposure to infected rodents’ urine or faeces. They emphasized that it spreads primarily through inhaling airborne particles from rodent droppings or saliva.
The WHO is facilitating coordination between national authorities and the ship’s operators to organize medical evacuations for two passengers exhibiting symptoms.
Officials have not confirmed the nationalities of the victims, and the exact number of symptomatic passengers remains unclear. The situation continues to develop as health authorities monitor the outbreak closely.