Hantavirus Outbreak on Cruise Ship

Cape Town, South Africa — A suspected hantavirus outbreak on a cruise ship in the Atlantic has resulted in the deaths of three individuals, including an elderly couple. At least three others have fallen ill. The vessel was anchored near Cape Verde, an island nation off the western coast of Africa, but local authorities had not permitted anyone to leave the ship, according to the cruise operator.

The World Health Organization confirmed one case of hantavirus through lab tests and noted ongoing investigations. They mentioned five more suspected cases, which includes a patient who is in intensive care in a South African hospital. The WHO is collaborating with local authorities to evacuate two other symptomatic individuals from the ship.

Dr. Ann Lindstrand, a WHO representative in Cape Verde, mentioned a potential new case aboard the ship where a person was exhibiting mild fever symptoms, though further details weren’t provided.

Oceanwide Expeditions, the Dutch operator of the ship, reported that two crew members also displayed respiratory symptoms and required immediate medical attention. Cape Verde authorities are assisting while maintaining restrictions on disembarking.

“Local health officials have inspected the vessel to evaluate the two symptomatic crew members,” the company stated. “They have not yet decided on transferring these individuals for medical care in Cape Verde.”

The Cape Verdean government dispatched a medical team comprising two doctors, a nurse, and a lab specialist to the ship on three occasions. They are planning for medical evacuations where passengers would be taken via ambulance to an airport for flights out of Cape Verde. The Dutch Foreign Ministry is also exploring options for evacuation from the ship.

Dr. Hans Henri P. Kluge, WHO’s regional director for Europe, assured on Monday that “the risk to the wider public remains low,” urging that there is no need for panic or travel restrictions.

However, the Cape Verdean Health Ministry stated that the ship would not be allowed to dock due to public health concerns, keeping it in nearby open waters.

Hantaviruses, prevalent globally, are primarily transmitted through contact with rodent urine or feces. They gained notoriety after the recent hantavirus infection of Gene Hackman’s wife, Betsy Arakawa, in New Mexico.

Understanding the Risks

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, hantaviruses can cause two severe conditions: hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, affecting the lungs, and hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome, impacting the kidneys.

Although uncommon, WHO indicated that hantavirus infections could spread between humans. There is no specific treatment, but prompt medical attention can improve survival odds.

The South African Health Department stated that the MV Hondius, which departed Argentina around three weeks prior, was on a cruise itinerary that included stops at Antarctica and the Falkland Islands, and was ultimately headed to Spain’s Canary Islands.

The Victims

The first victim, a 70-year-old man, died on the ship, with his body taken off in Saint Helena. His passing, which occurred on April 11, was described as having an undetermined cause on board, according to Oceanwide Expeditions. His wife collapsed at an airport in South Africa while attempting to fly back to the Netherlands and later died in a hospital.

A third passenger, a German national, also succumbed on May 2, with their body remaining on the ship. The individual in intensive care in South Africa has been confirmed as having hantavirus, according to Oceanwide Expeditions.

Currently, there are 149 individuals on the ship, comprising 88 passengers and 61 crew members, including 17 Americans. Travel blogger Jake Rosmarin, still aboard, appealed for understanding in a social media post, emphasizing that those on board are “people with families, with lives.”

Oceanwide Expeditions has implemented strict precautionary measures onboard, including isolation protocols and ongoing medical monitoring. WHO is supporting local authorities and the ship’s operators in a thorough public health risk assessment for the remaining passengers and crew.

Meanwhile, South Africa’s National Institute for Communicable Diseases is conducting contact tracing to identify any other individuals who may have been exposed to the infected passengers.