Three people have died following a suspected hantavirus outbreak aboard a cruise ship crossing the Atlantic Ocean, the World Health Organization confirmed to the BBC on Sunday.
One case has been confirmed and five others are under investigation. A British national, 69, remains in intensive care in Johannesburg, South Africa.
The outbreak was reported on the MV Hondius, a 107.6-meter polar cruise ship operated by Oceanwide Expeditions. The vessel departed Ushuaia, Argentina, on March 20 and was expected to complete its voyage in Cape Verde on May 4. It holds up to 170 passengers across 80 cabins and carries 57 crew members, 13 guides, and one doctor.
South African health authorities told the BBC that the first victim was a 70-year-old male passenger who became ill on board and died. His body is now on the island of Saint Helena, a British territory in the South Atlantic. His 69-year-old wife also fell ill on board, was evacuated to South Africa, and died in a Johannesburg hospital. AFP reported, citing a source close to the case, that the couple were Dutch nationals.
The third fatality was still on board the ship as of Sunday, according to a source who spoke anonymously to AFP. Discussions were underway about whether two additional sick passengers should be placed in hospital isolation in Cape Verde, with the ship then continuing to Spain's Canary Islands.
Hantavirus is typically transmitted to humans through contact with infected rodents or their urine and feces. It can cause severe respiratory illness. Human-to-human transmission is rare, though possible.
The WHO said it was coordinating between member states and the ship's operators to arrange medical evacuations for two symptomatic passengers and to conduct a full public health risk assessment. The UK Foreign Office said it was monitoring the situation and prepared to support British nationals.
