Published May 08, 2026 | 8:08 AM ⚊ Updated May 08, 2026 | 8:08 AM
Hantavirus. (iStock)
Synopsis: A cluster of hantavirus infections linked to a Dutch-flagged cruise ship has sparked global concern after three passengers died during a voyage. Humans usually become infected after coming into contact with infected rodents or their urine, saliva or droppings. Unlike Covid-19 or influenza, hantavirus does not usually spread easily between humans.
A cluster of hantavirus infections linked to a Dutch-flagged cruise ship has sparked global concern after three passengers died during a voyage from Argentina to Cabo Verde.
The ship, carrying 147 passengers and crew, has triggered an international response led by the World Health Organisation (WHO) because the outbreak involves the Andes strain of hantavirus — the only known hantavirus capable of limited human-to-human transmission.
“So far, eight cases have been reported, including three deaths. Five of the eight cases have been confirmed as hantavirus, and the other three are suspected,” WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said.
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Hantaviruses are a group of viruses mainly spread by rodents. Humans usually become infected after coming into contact with infected rodents or their urine, saliva or droppings.
According to WHO, infection can happen while cleaning enclosed spaces, handling contaminated material or staying in rodent-infested areas.
The species involved in the cruise ship outbreak is the Andes virus, found in parts of Latin America. WHO says Andes virus is the only known hantavirus species capable of limited human-to-human transmission.
Unlike Covid-19 or influenza, hantavirus does not usually spread easily between humans. WHO says person-to-person transmission has only been documented with the Andes virus, and even that remains uncommon.
“The species of hantavirus involved in this case is the Andes virus, which is found in Latin America and is the only species known to be capable of limited transmission between humans,” Dr Tedros said.
“In previous outbreaks of Andes virus, transmission between people has been associated with close and prolonged contact, particularly among household members, intimate partners and people providing medical care. That appears to be the case in the current situation,” he added.
The WHO says the virus is believed to spread more easily during the early phase of illness and mainly among people in close physical proximity for long periods.
The outbreak began aboard the MV Hondius, a Dutch-flagged cruise ship travelling from Argentina to Cabo Verde. According to the WHO, the United Kingdom notified the agency under the International Health Regulations after several passengers developed severe respiratory illness.
“The first case was in a man who developed symptoms on 6 April and died on the ship on 11 April,” Dr Tedros said.
“No samples were taken, and because his symptoms were similar to those of other respiratory diseases, hantavirus was not suspected.”
The man’s wife later left the ship at Saint Helena but became severely ill during a flight to Johannesburg and died a day later. Tests conducted by South Africa’s National Institute of Communicable Diseases confirmed hantavirus infection.
WHO later reported a third death involving a woman on the ship who developed symptoms on 28 April and died on 2 May. Another passenger remains in intensive care in South Africa.
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Hantavirus infections are considered rare globally, but they can become severe very quickly. In the Americas, the disease can lead to Hantavirus Cardiopulmonary Syndrome, or HCPS, a serious condition that affects the lungs and heart, said the WHO.
HCPS, “a rapidly worsening lung disease,” can cause breathing difficulty, fluid buildup in the lungs and shock. WHO says the fatality rate can reach up to 50 percent in severe cases.
Symptoms usually begin one to eight weeks after exposure. Early signs often resemble flu and include fever, headache, muscle pain, nausea and vomiting. Because the symptoms overlap with other respiratory illnesses, diagnosis can be difficult in the early stages.
The WHO says there is currently no licensed antiviral cure or vaccine for hantavirus. Treatment mainly focuses on supportive care such as oxygen support, intensive care monitoring and treatment for heart or kidney complications.
WHO says the incubation period, “the time between infection and symptoms,” for the Andes virus can be as long as six weeks. That means additional cases may still emerge among people who were exposed.
WHO confirmed that three suspected patients were evacuated from the ship to the Netherlands for treatment in coordination with authorities from Cabo Verde, the United Kingdom, Spain and the Netherlands.
“WHO continues to work with the ship’s operators to closely monitor the health of passengers and crew,” Dr Tedros said, adding that passengers who already disembarked are also being monitored with the help of national health authorities.
According to the WHO, all passengers aboard the ship have been asked to remain in their cabins while disinfection work continues.
“WHO has provided guidance to the ship’s operator on the management of health on board the vessel. All passengers have been asked to stay in their cabins, the cabins are being disinfected, and anyone who shows symptoms will be isolated immediately,” Dr Tedros said.
The agency has also alerted 12 countries whose citizens had disembarked earlier at Saint Helena, including Canada, Germany, the United Kingdom, the United States and Singapore.
Investigators are also tracing the source of exposure. WHO said the first two patients had travelled through Argentina, Chile and Uruguay on a bird-watching trip before boarding the ship. The trip reportedly included areas where rodents known to carry the Andes virus were present.
(Edited by Muhammed Fazil.)
