A Dutch cruise ship carrying roughly 149 people from 23 different nationalities is awaiting urgent assistance off the coast of Cape Verde following a suspected hantavirus outbreak. The outbreak has resulted in three deaths and left several others seriously ill, according to reports from France24 and Reuters.
Authorities in Cape Verde have prevented the MV Hondius from docking as a precautionary measure. The vessel, operated by the Netherlands-based Oceanwide Expeditions, remains under strict isolation in the Atlantic Ocean.
Timeline of the outbreak
While the ship reached Cape Verdean waters on May 3, the deaths occurred over a period spanning several weeks and different locations. Reuters reported that the victims included a 7-year-old Dutch man who died on St. Helena on April 11, and his 69-year-old wife, who died in South Africa after collapsing at O.R. Tambo International Airport.
A third victim, a German national, died on the vessel on May 2, according to Oceanwide Expeditions. At least one other passenger, a British man, is currently receiving treatment in a private clinic in Johannesburg, South Africa, after falling ill on April 27.
The ship's itinerary included stops in Antarctica, the Falklands, South Georgia, and various Atlantic islands before reaching its current position. The voyage was marketed as an Antarctic nature expedition, with passenger berths priced between 14,000 and 22,000 euros.
Medical officials are working to evacuate passengers showing symptoms. Reuters noted that medics were working Monday to evacuate two individuals, including a British and a Dutch crew member, who are displaying symptoms of the disease.
On board, the atmosphere is one of profound uncertainty. U.S. travel blogger Jake Rosmarin shared a video to Instagram on Monday, expressing the emotional toll on those trapped on the vessel.
"We're not just headlines: we're people with families, with lives, with people waiting for us at home," Rosmarin said in a tearful post. "There is a lot of uncertainty and that is the hardest part."
Hantavirus is a rare disease that can cause fatal respiratory illness. According to Reuters, the virus can spread when particles from rodent urine or droppings become airborne, though it does not transfer easily between humans. There are currently no specific drugs to treat the disease; instead, medical care focuses on supportive measures like mechanical ventilation.
While the World Health Organization stated that the risk to the wider public remains low and there is no need for travel restrictions, the source of the infection remains unidentified. A spokesperson for the Netherlands' National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM) told Reuters that the source is unclear, though they suggested that rats on board the ship could potentially have transmitted the virus.
Oceanwide Expeditions is currently investigating whether passengers can be screened and disembarked at the islands of Las Palmas and Tenerife. The company is also attempting to arrange the repatriation of the deceased German national and the body of the Dutch man.
