Hantavirus Outbreak on MV Hondius Cruise Ship Prompts Three Evacuations and Monitoring

Health officials have confirmed eight cases of hantavirus linked to the MV Hondius cruise ship, including three deaths, as three additional patients were evacuated on May 6 for treatment in the Netherlands. The World Health Organization announced the evacuations of three suspected cases from the vessel, which is currently moored off Cape Verde.

The patients include Dutch, German and British nationals, one of whom is the ship's doctor.

The MV Hondius departed Argentina on April 1 and visited remote sites including Antarctica and several Atlantic islands before the outbreak emerged. It is now expected to sail to Spain's Canary Islands for inspection and disinfection once the evacuations are complete.

Passengers and crew who remain aboard show no symptoms, officials said. Non-Spanish citizens will be repatriated upon arrival in Tenerife, while the 14 Spanish nationals will be flown to Madrid for quarantine.

Laboratory testing has confirmed the Andes strain of hantavirus, the only variant known to spread between humans. WHO officials stated that transmission appears limited to close contacts such as cabin mates. Maria Van Kerkhove, WHO director of epidemic and pandemic preparedness, said during a May 5 news conference that the initial infections likely occurred off the ship during wildlife expeditions in Argentina or on islands visited later.

“We do believe that there may be some human-to-human transmission that's happening among the really close contacts – the husband and wife, people who've shared cabins, etcetera.”

No rodents have been found on the vessel, according to WHO representative Ann Lindstrand.

The first confirmed death occurred on April 11 when a 70-year-old Dutch man developed fever and respiratory symptoms aboard the ship. His 69-year-old wife died on April 26 in South Africa after symptoms worsened during travel. A British passenger evacuated on April 27 remains in intensive care in South Africa.

A German national and a Swiss man who disembarked earlier also tested positive, bringing the total to eight confirmed or suspected cases. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said monitoring continues for all passengers and crew. The global risk outside the ship is considered low.