The World Health Organization is investigating a cluster of severe respiratory illness linked to a Dutch-flagged cruise ship after multiple deaths were reported in connection with hantavirus infections.
According to a Disease Outbreak News report, seven cases have been identified among passengers and crew aboard the vessel, including two laboratory-confirmed infections and five suspected cases. Three individuals have died, while one patient remains critically ill.
Health authorities were first alerted on May 2 through international reporting channels, when the United Kingdom notified WHO of a cluster of severe illness aboard a Dutch-flagged cruise ship. Laboratory testing conducted in South Africa later confirmed hantavirus infection in one critically ill patient, with additional cases identified in the days that followed.
The vessel, identified in multiple reports as the MV Hondius, departed Ushuaia, Argentina, in early April and traveled across remote regions of the South Atlantic, including Antarctica and several isolated island territories. The extent of potential exposure — whether prior to boarding or during excursions — remains under investigation.
Hantavirus is typically spread through contact with infected rodents or their droppings, and human-to-human transmission is considered rare. However, officials are assessing whether limited transmission may have occurred among close contacts on board.
The ship, carrying 147 passengers and crew from more than 20 countries, is currently moored off the coast of Cabo Verde as response efforts continue. Despite the severity of the cases, global health officials say the risk to the broader public remains low.
