Three dead in suspected hantavirus outbreak on Atlantic cruise ship | Health News
Three Dead, One in Intensive Care Following Suspected Hantavirus Outbreak on Cruise Ship
Published May 3, 2026
Three passengers aboard the MV Hondius have died, following a suspected outbreak of hantavirus while the cruise ship was en route from Ushuaia, Argentina, to Cape Verde. Health officials have confirmed one case of the rare disease, which is transmitted from rodents to humans.
The World Health Organization (WHO) reported on Sunday that among the six affected individuals, one is currently in intensive care in South Africa. The organization is conducting further laboratory tests and epidemiological investigations to determine the extent of the outbreak.
“Detailed investigations are ongoing. Medical care and support are being provided to passengers and crew,” the WHO stated. “We are facilitating coordination between countries to evacuate the two other passengers exhibiting symptoms.”
Hantavirus can lead to severe complications, including hemorrhagic fever. It is primarily transmitted through rodent droppings and urine.
In a separate statement, South Africa’s National Department of Health noted that the outbreak involves a “severe acute respiratory illness,” resulting in two reported deaths and one patient in intensive care in Johannesburg. The patient being treated there has tested positive for hantavirus.
The outbreak began with a 70-year-old man who experienced symptoms while on the ship and subsequently died. His body is currently held on the island of Saint Helena, a British territory in the South Atlantic. His 69-year-old wife, who also became ill, was evacuated to South Africa, where she later died in a Johannesburg hospital.
Authorities have not officially identified the nationalities of the deceased, although reports indicate that the individual in intensive care is a 69-year-old British citizen.
