Three dead in suspected hantavirus outbreak on Atlantic cruise ship
TL;DR
Three people have died on the MV Hondius cruise ship due to a suspected hantavirus outbreak, with one confirmed case and five others suspected. Health authorities, including the WHO, are investigating the situation and providing medical support.
Key points
- Three people have died on the MV Hondius cruise ship
- One confirmed case of hantavirus and five suspected cases
- Health authorities are investigating the outbreak
- Medical care is being provided to passengers and crew
- The ship is sailing from Ushuaia, Argentina to Cape Verde
Mentioned in this story
Three people have died on a cruise ship in the Atlantic, with at least one confirmed to have suffered from hantavirus, a rare disease transmitted to humans from rodents.
Health authorities are now investigating a suspected outbreak of the virus on the MV Hondius, which is sailing from Ushuaia in Argentina to Cape Verde.
In a statement on Sunday, the World Health Organization said that one case had been confirmed and at least five other passengers were suspected of being infected.
“Of the six affected individuals, three have died, and one is currently in intensive care in South Africa,” WHO said in a statement.
“Detailed investigations are ongoing, including further laboratory testing and epidemiological investigations. Medical care and support are being provided to passengers and crew. Sequencing of the virus is also ongoing.”
WHO added that it was “facilitating coordination” between countries to evacuate the two other passengers showing symptoms of the infection.
Hantavirus, a rare disease transmitted to humans through the droppings or urine of infected rodents, can be fatal in severe cases and cause hemorrhagic fever.
Infected couple among casualties
South Africa’s National Department of Health said earlier on Sunday that there had been an outbreak of a “severe acute respiratory illness”, which had killed at least two people, and that a third person was in intensive care in Johannesburg, according to the AFP news agency.
The ministry’s spokesperson, Foster Mohale, confirmed that the patient being treated in Johannesburg tested positive for hantavirus.
A 70-year-old was the first to develop symptoms. He died on the ship, with his body now being held on the island of Saint Helena, a British territory in the South Atlantic, the spokesman said.
The patient’s 69-year-old wife also fell sick and was evacuated to South Africa, where she died in a Johannesburg hospital, he added.
Mohale told AFP that authorities have not confirmed the nationalities of the deceased. But the person in intensive care was reported by AFP to be a 69-year-old Briton.
Q&A
What is hantavirus and how is it transmitted?
Hantavirus is a rare disease transmitted to humans from rodents, often through contact with rodent droppings, urine, or saliva.
What actions are being taken in response to the hantavirus outbreak on the cruise ship?
Health authorities are conducting detailed investigations, including laboratory testing and providing medical care to affected passengers and crew.
Where is the MV Hondius cruise ship currently sailing?
The MV Hondius is sailing from Ushuaia in Argentina to Cape Verde.
