Three Die, Briton Critical After Hantavirus Outbreak on Atlantic Cruise Ship MV Hondius

A suspected Hantavirus outbreak on the MV Hondius, a cruise ship operating in the Atlantic, has resulted in three deaths. The World Health Organisation (WHO) has confirmed one case of Hantavirus, with a further five suspected cases currently under investigation.

Reports indicate a British national, aged 69, has been evacuated to Johannesburg and remains in intensive care. The vessel, run by Dutch tour company Oceanwide Expeditions, was en route from Ushuaia, Argentina, to Cape Verde.

South African health officials stated that the first individual to exhibit symptoms was a 70-year-old passenger who died on board. His body is now in Saint Helena, a British territory. His 69-year-old wife also fell ill on the ship and subsequently died in a Johannesburg hospital after being evacuated.

Hantavirus infections are typically associated with exposure to infected rodent excrement; however, human-to-human transmission, leading to severe respiratory illness, can occur in rare circumstances. The WHO is coordinating medical evacuations for two symptomatic passengers and conducting a public health risk assessment for those remaining aboard the MV Hondius, describing the incident as a "public health event".