A British crew member requires urgent medical care after a suspected hantavirus outbreak on a cruise ship in the Atlantic Ocean, tour operator Oceanwide Expeditions has confirmed. Three people have died and two cases of the virus have been confirmed, with a British passenger also in a critical but stable condition in South Africa.
The outbreak occurred on the Dutch-flagged MV Hondius, which was sailing from Argentina to Cape Verde. The British tourist was medically evacuated to Johannesburg on April 27 and is being treated in an intensive care unit. A Dutch woman who tested positive for hantavirus died after disembarking on April 27.
Oceanwide Expeditions said two staff members—one British and one Dutch—continue to show acute respiratory symptoms, one mild and one severe. The ship's journey began on April 1, and a passenger died on board on April 11. The cause could not be determined at sea, but the passenger was later disembarked on St Helena with his wife, who became unwell and died; she tested positive for a hantavirus variant.
On May 2, a German passenger died, though the cause has not yet been established. The company confirmed that guests will not disembark in Cape Verde, except for three individuals requiring medical evacuation. Dutch authorities are preparing a medical evacuation using two specialised aircraft.
Hantavirus infections, typically spread by rodent urine or faeces, can cause severe respiratory illness and can be fatal. The UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) is supporting British nationals, and the World Health Organization (WHO) has said the risk to the wider public remains low, with no need for travel restrictions.
Strict precautionary measures, including isolation and hygiene protocols, are in place on board the MV Hondius. The ship may continue to Las Palmas or Tenerife, but a final disembarkation point has not been confirmed.
