Three people have died following a suspected outbreak of Hantavirus aboard a cruise ship travelling from Argentina to Cape Verde, according to the World Health Organization.
The incident began when a 70-year-old man fell ill while on board the MV Hondius. He later died after the vessel docked at Saint Helena. His body is awaiting repatriation to Netherlands.
His wife, 69, also developed symptoms and died in hospital in Johannesburg. Both were Dutch nationals.
A third case, the only one confirmed as hantavirus so far, involves a 69-year-old British man who is currently in critical condition in intensive care in Johannesburg.
Two crew members are also reported to be in urgent need of medical attention, raising further concerns among health authorities monitoring the situation.
Dutch officials are arranging to evacuate two additional suspected cases, along with the body of another deceased individual still on board the ship.
Hantavirus is typically spread by rodents, especially through airborne particles from urine, droppings, or saliva. Human-to-human transmission is considered extremely rare.
Infectious disease expert Paul Griffin described the situation as unusual, noting that while cruise ships can facilitate the spread of illness due to close contact among passengers, hantavirus outbreaks in such environments are highly uncommon.
Health experts say the case raises fresh concerns about disease control in confined travel settings, even as hygiene standards have improved globally since the COVID-19 pandemic.
Authorities are continuing investigations to determine the source of the suspected outbreak and assess the risk to other passengers and crew.
