Particle.news
Download on the App Store
35 ARTICLES
·
last wk.

WHO Reports 7 Hantavirus Cases Linked to MV Hondius Off Cape Verde

Evacuations of the sick are being arranged pending tests on how the virus spread.

Bird's eye view of the MV Hondius sailing at sea; up-close electron micrograph images depict the hantavirus virions responsible for causing hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, or HPS
Image
Caption: This aerial picture shows a general view of the cruise ship MV Hondius stationary off the port of Praia, the capital of Cape Verde, on May 3, 2025. An outbreak of "severe acute respiratory illness" on board a cruise ship in the Atlantic has left two people dead and a third in intensive care in Johannesburg, South Africa's health ministry told AFP on May 3, 2025. The outbreak occurred on the MV Hondius, travelling from Ushuaia in Argentina to Cape Verde. The patient being treated in Johannesburg tested positive for a hantavirus, a family of viruses that can cause hemorrhagic fever, South African spokesperson Foster Mohale said. (Photo by AFP via Getty Images) Photographer: - Provider: AFP via Getty Images Source: AFP Copyright: AFP or licensors
Image

Overview

  • The World Health Organization on Monday put the tally at seven cases tied to the voyage, including two confirmed infections and three deaths.
  • A British passenger with a confirmed infection is in intensive care in Johannesburg, and Dutch authorities confirmed the virus in a woman who died after leaving the ship at St Helena.
  • Cape Verde has refused routine disembarkation, leaving about 147 to 150 passengers and crew at anchor with onboard assessments and distancing rules in place.
  • Dutch officials are preparing an air evacuation for two crew members with acute respiratory symptoms, and planners are working on routing the ship to the Canary Islands for screening and disembarkation once cleared.
  • WHO and partners are probing whether exposure to infected rodents or limited person‑to‑person spread explains the cluster, noting that overall risk to the wider public remains low.