Three people have died while on board a cruise ship in the Atlantic and the alarm has been raised over a possible outbreak of hantavirus infection, a dangerous infection transmitted by rodents. The World Health Organization (WHO) reports this: “To date, one case of hantavirus infection has been confirmed in the laboratory and five other cases are suspected. Of the six people affected, three have died and one is currently in intensive care in South Africa”.
WHO is aware of and supporting a public health event involving a cruise vessel sailing in the Atlantic Ocean. To date, one case of hantavirus infection has been laboratory confirmed, and there are five additional suspected cases. Of the six affected individuals, three have died… pic.twitter.com/SqMAAZzoID
— World Health Organization (WHO) (@WHO) May 3, 2026
The deaths and suspected cases
The ship is the Mv Hondius, it left Ushuaia (in Argentina) and was headed towards Cape Verde. It can accommodate up to approximately 170 passengers and has approximately 70 crew members.
The first to show symptoms was a 70-year-old Dutch cruise passenger, who later died on board. His 69-year-old wife also fell ill on the cruise and was evacuated to South Africa, where she later died in a Johannesburg hospital. The origin of the third victim is unknown. The hospitalized patient is believed to be a 69-year-old British citizen and is hospitalized in Johannesburg.
“Although rare, hantavirus can be transmitted from person to person and cause serious respiratory diseases; it requires careful monitoring of patients, adequate support and appropriate management – indicated the WHO -. In-depth investigations are underway, including further laboratory analyzes and epidemiological investigations. Medical care and support are being provided to passengers and crew. Sequencing of the virus is also underway”. The WHO assured to “facilitate coordination” between the countries involved and the ship’s operators to organize the medical evacuation of passengers with symptoms.
Hantavirus, symptoms and cases
Hantavirus diseases are viral infections transmitted to humans by wild and domestic rodents. The hantavirus genus includes several dozen viral species globally. Some species are present in Europe, where they are expanding into new areas and increasing in established endemic ones. According to what can be read on the Ministry of Health website, hantavirus diseases are spreading in Europe both in terms of number of cases and infected areas.
Infection occurs through direct contact with feces, saliva, urine of infected rodents or by inhalation of viruses through rodent excrement.
Hantavirus diseases can be characterized by renal involvement (nephritis) and hemorrhages or by a pulmonary syndrome. The three syndromes that characterize hantavirus infection are:
• hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome;
• epidemic nephropathy;
• hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, more frequent in the Americas.