Health authorities are urgently searching for a port to accommodate a cruise ship grappling with a suspected hantavirus outbreak. The vessel, MV Hondius, remains off the coast of Cape Verde with passengers in isolation after three fatalities were reported.
Ship to Head to Canary Islands
The World Health Organization (WHO) announced that the MV Hondius will proceed to Spain's Canary Islands. However, Spanish authorities stated that a final decision on the specific port will depend on analysis of epidemiological data collected from the ship during its stopover in Cape Verde.
WHO epidemic and pandemic preparedness chief Maria Van Kerkhove emphasized that the immediate priority is to evacuate two crew members requiring urgent medical care, potentially to the Netherlands. Following that, the ship can move to its designated port.
Confirmed Cases and Fatalities
So far, two hantavirus cases have been confirmed, with five additional suspected cases among the 147 individuals who embarked on the cruise from Ushuaia, Argentina, to Cape Verde. Three people have died, one is critically ill, and three others have reported mild symptoms. Two of the deceased and one ill individual had left the ship; one woman flew to Johannesburg before dying on April 26, prompting a search for potential contacts on the flight.
Passengers and crew have been in isolation on the Hondius, operated by Dutch company Oceanwide Expeditions, after Cape Verde authorities denied docking permission.
Human-to-Human Transmission Possibility
The WHO is collaborating with Spanish authorities, who have agreed to welcome the ship for a comprehensive epidemiological investigation and full disinfection. Van Kerkhove noted that the species of hantavirus remains unconfirmed, but the working assumption is the Andes virus, which can be transmitted from person to person. Sequencing is underway in South Africa, and results are expected soon. She added that there may be some human-to-human transmission among close contacts.
Hantavirus infection is rare but potentially deadly, primarily spread through infected rodents. However, the Andes virus has been associated with human-to-human transmission in previous outbreaks in South America.
