Home / Health / Deadly Hantavirus Outbreak on Cruise Ship
Deadly Hantavirus Outbreak on Cruise Ship
6 May
Summary
- Hantavirus outbreak identified on MV Hondius cruise ship.
- Three passengers have died from the virus, with others critically ill.
- Canary Islands government banned ship entry due to the outbreak.
A luxury cruise ship, the MV Hondius, is at the center of a severe hantavirus outbreak that has claimed the lives of three passengers. The ship, which departed from Argentina on April 1, has identified seven cases of hantavirus, including suspected and confirmed infections. Two sick crew members and an asymptomatic passenger are being evacuated.
The Canary Islands regional government has prohibited the ship from entering its waters due to the public health crisis. Currently stationed off Cape Verde, the vessel had around 150 passengers and crew from 23 nations aboard.
Hantavirus, a family of rodent-borne viruses, can cause serious illness and death in humans, primarily through Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome (HPS). Symptoms can include flu-like illness progressing to severe respiratory distress.
While typically not spreading between people, the Andes strain, found in Argentina and Chile, has shown some human-to-human transmission. WHO advises ongoing monitoring and hygiene practices for all individuals associated with the MV Hondius.
