Three people have died after an outbreak of a severe respiratory illness on a cruise ship in the Atlantic. A British man was taken to intensive care after the virus spread onboard the MV Hondius, travelling from Ushuaia in Argentina to Cape Verde in Africa.
Details of the Outbreak
The illness, known as hantavirus, is typically spread by rodents and can cause hemorrhagic fever. A 70-year-old passenger was the first person to die onboard, with his body currently on the island of Saint Helena, a British territory in the South Atlantic. His 69-year-old wife also fell ill and was evacuated to South Africa, where she died in a Johannesburg hospital. A 69-year-old Briton was also evacuated to Johannesburg and is being treated in intensive care.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) confirmed this evening that it is 'aware of the cases of severe acute respiratory illness on a cruise ship sailing in the Atlantic.' It confirmed three deaths, one from hantavirus, and is investigating six suspected cases in total. A spokesman said: '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 and one is currently in intensive care in South Africa. Investigations and a coordinated international public health response are underway. We will share more information as it becomes available.'
Additional Suspected Cases
A source close to the case said the provisional toll was three dead, including a Dutch couple. Speaking anonymously, they added that discussions are taking place to decide whether two sick passengers should be placed in isolation in a hospital in Cape Verde. The ship would then continue to Spain's Canary Islands.
Hantaviruses are spread by rodents, particularly through contact with their urine, droppings, and saliva, according to the US Center for Disease Control and Prevention. The MV Hondius is listed as a polar cruise ship on several travel agency websites and is operated by the Dutch-based tour company Oceanwide Expeditions.
One of the cruises offers an itinerary from Ushuaia to Cape Verde, with stops in South Georgia and Saint Helena. According to online ship-tracking sites, the MV Hondius was just off the port of Praia, the capital of Cape Verde, on Sunday. The vessel can accommodate around 170 passengers and has some 70 crew members.
