Three People Death in A Cruise Ship That Departed from Argentina Towards South Arica After an Outbreak of the Deadly Hanta Virus

Three people have died and at least three others have fallen ill after a suspected hantavirus outbreak aboard a Dutch-operated cruise ship in the Atlantic Ocean, prompting an international public health investigation and urgent medical evacuation efforts, the World Health Organization said.

The outbreak occurred on the MV Hondius, an expedition vessel operated by Oceanwide Expeditions, which had departed Ushuaia, Argentina, about three weeks earlier and traveled through Antarctica and the Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) before heading toward Cape Verde and Spain's Canary Islands. The ship was reported stationary near Praia, Cape Verde's capital, as authorities worked to manage the medical emergency.

WHO said one case of hantavirus infection has been confirmed by laboratory testing and five additional cases are suspected. Of the six affected people, three have died and one is in intensive care in South Africa. The agency said further testing, epidemiological investigations, and virus sequencing are underway.

South Africa's health department said the first known patient was a 70-year-old passenger who developed symptoms aboard the ship and died on board. His body was taken to Saint Helena, a British territory in the South Atlantic. His 69-year-old wife also became ill and was evacuated to South Africa, where she died in a Johannesburg hospital. A third fatality was also reported, while another 69-year-old passenger, reported by AFP as British, remained in intensive care in Johannesburg.

The ship had about 150 tourists aboard at the time of the outbreak, according to South African officials, and usually travels with about 70 crew members. Two symptomatic crew members were still onboard and required medical care, while disembarkation and evacuation plans were being coordinated with Cape Verdean authorities.

According to the CDC, Hantavirus is a rare but potentially deadly disease usually linked to exposure to urine, droppings, or saliva from infected rodents. People can become infected when contaminated particles become airborne and are inhaled. The virus can cause severe respiratory disease, and some forms have a fatality rate of about 40%. Human-to-human transmission is considered rare, though WHO notes it can occur in limited circumstances.

The source of exposure aboard the MV Hondius has not been confirmed. Investigators are looking into whether the infections were linked to environmental contamination, exposure before boarding, or another source connected to the ship's route or supplies. WHO said it is coordinating with national authorities and the ship's operator as medical care, contact tracing and risk assessments continue.

The case has drawn concern because cruise ships are closed environments where outbreaks can quickly become difficult to manage, though hantavirus is not typically associated with person-to-person spread in the way respiratory viruses such as influenza or COVID-19 are. For now, health officials have not said whether other passengers or crew members will be allowed to disembark, or when the vessel may continue its journey.

Testing and monitoring continue.

Originally published on Latin Times

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Health, Cruise ship, Argentina