Health authorities from several countries are monitoring passengers from the cruise ship MV Hondius following a hantavirus outbreak that has already resulted in confirmed infections and multiple deaths, the World Health Organization (WHO) said.
Five infections have been confirmed among people linked to the vessel, according to the WHO, as international contact tracing efforts continue. Three deaths have also been reported, including a Dutch couple and a German national.
The outbreak is believed to have started after the ship departed Argentina last month. The first suspected case involved a 70-year-old Dutch passenger who became ill onboard with fever, headache, abdominal pain, and diarrhea. He died on April 11 while still at sea, according to South Africa’s health authorities.
The vessel’s operator, Oceanwide Expeditions, said 146 passengers from 23 countries remain onboard under strict precautionary measures. Several passengers were evacuated earlier, while others disembarked at various ports and have since been dispersed globally.
Passengers who left the ship are now being monitored or treated in the Netherlands, South Africa, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, the United States, and Singapore, among other locations.
In the Netherlands, three individuals, including a British national, a 65-year-old German passenger, and a 41-year-old Dutch crew member, have been hospitalized. Two are in serious condition, while the third is receiving medical care despite showing no symptoms. Dutch authorities are also investigating a separate possible exposure involving a hospital-tested passenger in Amsterdam.
In South Africa, a British passenger remains in intensive care after being transferred to a Johannesburg medical facility. The WHO said the patient’s condition is improving and confirmed this case as one of the infections linked to the outbreak.
In Switzerland, a returning passenger has tested positive and is receiving treatment in Zurich, according to WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
In the United Kingdom, the UK Health Security Agency said two British nationals are isolating at home following potential exposure, while contact tracing continues for several others who disembarked at Saint Helena.
In the United States, health officials are monitoring three individuals who returned to different states. Two residents in Georgia are under observation without symptoms, while one individual in Arizona is also asymptomatic.
In Singapore, two men in their 60s are self-isolating and undergoing testing. One has mild respiratory symptoms, while the other remains asymptomatic.
The WHO said the situation is being closely monitored but emphasized that there is no evidence of widespread transmission risk. Officials added that while additional cases may emerge, they do not expect a Covid-19-like global outbreak.
The outbreak has been linked to the Andes strain of hantavirus, a rare form of the virus that can spread between humans in limited circumstances and is typically associated with exposure to infected rodents.
Investigators are still determining the exact source of infection. However, early findings suggest the initial cases may have been exposed while traveling in South America before boarding the ship. WHO officials said the infected passengers had visited areas in Argentina, Chile, and Uruguay known to have rodent populations carrying the virus.
The incubation period for hantavirus ranges from one to six weeks, meaning symptoms can appear long after initial exposure.
Oceanwide Expeditions said it is compiling a full list of passengers and crew who boarded and disembarked since March 20 to support global tracing efforts.
The ship is expected to arrive in Tenerife in Spain’s Canary Islands on Sunday, where further health assessments and coordination with international authorities are expected to continue.
Si Venus L Peñaflor ay naging editor-in-chief ng Newsworld, isang lokal na pahayagan ng Laguna. Publisher din siya ng Daystar Gazette at Tutubi News Magazine. Siya ay isa ring pintor at doll face designer ng Ninay Dolls, ang unang Manikang Pilipino. Kasali siya sa DesignCrowd sa rank na #305 sa 640,000 graphic designers sa buong daigdig. Kasama din siya sa unang Local TV Broadcast sa Laguna na Beyond Manila. Aktibong kasapi siya ng San Pablo Jaycees Senate bilang isang JCI Senator.
- Venus L Peñaflor
- Venus L Peñaflor
- Venus L Peñaflor
- Venus L Peñaflor
