Cruise Ship Passengers Exposed to Hantavirus

Hantavirus Cases Reported on Cruise Ship Seven passengers aboard the MV Hondius cruise ship in the Atlantic Ocean have been confirmed or are suspected to have hantavirus, resulting in three fatalities, according to the World Health Organization (WHO) as of May 5. The vessel is currently moored off the coast of Cape Verde, where medical teams are evaluating remaining patients.

The first fatality was a 70-year-old Dutch man who developed symptoms on April 6 and died on April 11 due to respiratory distress. His 69-year-old wife, the second fatality, fell ill on board, disembarked at Saint Helena, and died on April 26 in Johannesburg, South Africa, asourceser collapsing at the airport. A German woman, the fourth case, died on the ship on May 2, five days asourceser symptom onset.

A British man, the third case, fell ill asourceser the ship departed Saint Helena. He was medically evacuated from Ascension Island to Johannesburg on April 27 and remains hospitalized in isolation in an intensive care unit. Three additional passengers exhibiting fever and/or gastrointestinal symptoms are under evaluation on the ship, with specimens collected for testing by Cape Verdean medical authorities.