Three die in suspected hantavirus outbreak aboard Atlantic cruise ship

Three passengers died and at least three others were sickened after a suspected hantavirus outbreak on the MV Hondius, forcing health authorities in several countries to coordinate an emergency response as the ship crossed the Atlantic Ocean.

The World Health Organization said six people were affected in all: one laboratory-confirmed hantavirus case, five additional suspected cases under investigation, three deaths and one patient in intensive care in South Africa. The outbreak emerged aboard the expedition ship while it was traveling from Ushuaia, Argentina, to Cape Verde, with the vessel off Praia when the reports surfaced.

South African health officials said the first symptomatic passenger was a 70-year-old man who died on board. His 69-year-old wife was evacuated to Johannesburg and later died there, while a 69-year-old British national was also evacuated to Johannesburg and remained in intensive care. Authorities said the man’s body was on Saint Helena, the British territory in the South Atlantic.

The case has drawn close scrutiny because cruise ships operate outside normal national health systems for much of a voyage. When a serious outbreak emerges at sea, officials must work quickly on screening, isolation, medical evacuation and vessel reporting across borders. In this case, the WHO described the situation as a coordinated international public-health response, underscoring how quickly a medical emergency on a ship can become a multinational operation.

Hantaviruses are typically associated with exposure to infected rodents or their droppings, and in some cases can cause severe respiratory disease. Public-health officials said one case had been confirmed and five others were still under investigation, leaving the source of infection and the full scope of exposure under review. The WHO has said prompt diagnosis and respiratory support are important in severe cases because hantavirus can lead to pulmonary edema and respiratory distress.

Oceanwide Expeditions said the MV Hondius is its first-registered Polar Class 6 vessel and a small expedition ship built for polar cruising. Its Atlantic crossing from South America to Africa, with Cape Verde as the destination, became the setting for a rare and closely watched outbreak that left three people dead and health authorities racing to contain further risk.