Health authorities worldwide have launched a global effort underway to trace passengers and crew from the MV Hondius cruise ship following an outbreak of hantavirus. The World Health Organization (WHO) has confirmed at least five cases linked to the vessel, including three deaths. The outbreak has involved people from about 12 countries, prompting international coordination to monitor and contain the spread.
Details of the outbreak and affected countries
The MV Hondius, operated by Oceanwide Expeditions, began its journey on 1 April from Ushuaia, Argentina, with approximately 150 passengers and crew from 28 countries aboard. The ship made several stops, including the island of St Helena on 24 April, where 32 guests disembarked. The cruise is expected to end in Spain’s Canary Islands around 10 May.
Hantavirus is typically transmitted to humans through contact with infected rodents or their excretions. However, the strain involved in this outbreak, the Andes virus, is known for rare human-to-human transmission through close, intimate contact. This is the first documented instance of hantavirus transmission occurring on a boat, according to the WHO.
The WHO is working with health officials in at least 12 countries to monitor individuals who were on the ship or had contact with passengers after disembarking. These countries include:
- Canada
- Denmark
- Germany
- Netherlands
- New Zealand
- Saint Kitts and Nevis
- Singapore
- Sweden
- Switzerland
- Turkey
- United Kingdom
- United States
Cases and monitoring efforts
Among the confirmed cases, three deaths have been reported, including two Dutch nationals and one German passenger. One Dutch woman died in South Africa after being evacuated from the ship. Another Dutch woman was hospitalized in Amsterdam with possible symptoms but later tested negative for hantavirus. A Swiss man who disembarked in Saint Helena tested positive and is receiving treatment in Zurich.
British nationals have also been affected. Seven British passengers disembarked in St Helena before the first confirmed case was reported. One crew member remains on the remote island of Tristan da Cunha, and two British men have confirmed cases, with one in stable condition in the Netherlands and another in intensive care in South Africa. Additional British nationals are self-isolating in the UK as a precaution.
In the United States, health agencies in five states are monitoring individuals who were on the ship, with no symptoms reported so far. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has classified the outbreak as a “level 3” emergency response, its lowest level.
French health authorities identified eight nationals who had contact with a Dutch woman who died from hantavirus during a flight from Saint Helena to Johannesburg. One individual showed mild symptoms and was awaiting test results, while others were offered isolation and testing.
Current status of the MV Hondius and next steps
The MV Hondius was denied docking in the West African archipelago and remained anchored offshore for several days before heading to the Canary Islands. Spanish authorities have agreed to allow the ship to dock in Tenerife, where all passengers and crew will undergo medical assessments before traveling home. However, the president of the Canary Islands has expressed opposition to the docking, citing insufficient information and concerns for local residents.
On arrival in Tenerife, non-Spanish citizens who are healthy will be repatriated to their home countries. Thirteen Spanish passengers and one crew member will be quarantined in a military hospital in Madrid. Local residents have expressed concern about the ship’s arrival but acknowledge the need to provide assistance.
Meanwhile, a suspected hantavirus case has been reported in Alicante, Spain, involving a woman who traveled on the same flight as a patient who died in Johannesburg after contracting the virus on the cruise ship.
The MV Hondius currently has 146 people from 23 countries on board as it sails to the Canary Islands. The crew includes members from the Philippines, Ukraine, Russia, Portugal, Poland, Montenegro, India, and Guatemala. Passengers represent a diverse group from Australia, Belgium, Canada, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Japan, New Zealand, and Turkey.
Authorities continue to monitor the situation closely, given the incubation period of hantavirus can be up to six weeks, meaning more cases may yet be identified. The WHO has emphasized that this outbreak does not represent a pandemic risk similar to Covid-19, due to the virus’s mode of transmission requiring close contact.