Three people have died and three others are sick after a suspected outbreak of hantavirus aboard a cruise ship sailing in the Atlantic Ocean, the World Health Organization (WHO) said in a post to X/Twitter on Sunday night.
Oceanwide Expeditions, the company that operates the ship, called the MV Hondius, confirmed that the three deceased individuals were passengers. Hondius is currently anchored in Praia, Cape Verde.
The cruise departed from Argentina about three weeks ago with around 150 passengers and stopped in the Antarctic and other locations on its way to Cape Verde, according to media reports.
Out of the six cases, only one has been laboratory-confirmed to be hantavirus.
One of the sick passengers is currently being treated in intensive care in South Africa, the WHO said, adding that medical care is being provided to all passengers and crew on board. Sky News reported the passenger in intensive care is British, citing South Africa's Health Department.
According to Oceanwide Expeditions, Dutch authorities have agreed to lead a joint effort in order to repatriate the two symptomatic individuals to the Netherlands.
It added that the body of one of the deceased individuals and a non-symptomatic guest “closely associated with the deceased” will also be repatriated.
The German foreign ministry said that one of the people who died from a suspected hantavirus infection was a German national, confirming information from shipowner Oceanwide Expeditions.
The WHO added that it is overseeing the medical evacuation of the two and is conducting a full public health risk assessment for the remaining passengers on board the ship.
"The risk to the wider public remains low," said Hans Kluge, WHO Europe's regional director, in his own X post. "There is no need for panic or travel restrictions."
Cape Verde health authorities said on Monday that they have decided not to authorise a cruise ship linked to suspected hantavirus cases to dock at the port of Praia, as a precautionary measure.
The Atlantic Ocean archipelago nation's National Directorate of Health said in a statement that all necessary safeguards were being put in place, including preparations for a possible medical evacuation by air ambulance for patients under observation.
It added that the situation was under control and there was currently no risk to the population on land.
Virus caused by rodent droppings, urine
Hantavirus can be spread when rodent droppings and urine become airborne, such as when people sweep out sheds where mice have been living. However, the WHO explained that it does not spread easily between people.
The illness begins with flu-like symptoms and can lead to heart and lung failure, with around 40% of cases resulting in death, according to the US Centers for Disease Control (CDC).
There are no specific drugs to treat hantavirus, so treatment focuses on supportive care, including ventilatory support in severe cases.