Three Die from Hantavirus on Cruise Ship Potentially Heading to the Canary Islands

The ship is currently docked at the Cape Verdean port of Praia, which was its final destination.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), three passengers died on Sunday aboard the MV Hondius while crossing the Atlantic due to a hantavirus outbreak. Hantavirus is transmitted through rodents via contact with their urine, feces, or saliva. The WHO confirmed the deaths to AFP and the BBC, stating that “investigations are underway” and that there is “a coordinated international public health response.”

The vessel, now in Praia, Cape Verde, had departed from Ushuaia, Argentina. As reported by Cadena Ser, its next scheduled stop is the Canary Islands, but authorities say it will not dock there until the virus on board is contained.

“Hantaviruses are spread through rodents, particularly via contact with their urine, feces, and saliva,” notes the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
“Only one type of virus, extremely rare, can be transmitted from person to person,” adds the Swiss Federal Office of Public Health (OFSP).

Fatalities and Other Cases

• First victim: A 70‑year‑old man was the initial case. He developed symptoms, later succumbed on the ship, and his body was transferred to Saint Helena.
• Second victim: His 69‑year‑old wife was evacuated to South Africa, where she died in a hospital.
• Third victim: A third deceased passenger remains unidentified and is still on board.

Additional reports indicate a fourth person, a 69‑year‑old British passenger, is hospitalized in South Africa. Authorities believe two more individuals are infected on the cruise and are evaluating how to transport them to a hospital for isolation.