Three Dead After Suspected Virus Outbreak on Cruise Ship

Three passengers have died, and a British national is in critical condition following a suspected hantavirus outbreak aboard a small cruise vessel in the Atlantic Ocean, according to a report by the BBC.

Tour operator Oceanwide Expeditions confirmed that a Dutch couple and a German national died during the voyage of the MV Hondius, though the exact causes of death have not yet been established.

The company said hantavirus has been confirmed in a 69-year-old British passenger, who was medically evacuated and is now in intensive care in Johannesburg, South Africa. His condition is described as critical but stable.

According to a timeline provided by the company and reported by the BBC, the first passenger became ill while onboard and died on April 11. His body remained on the vessel until it docked at St Helena on April 24, where it was removed.

His wife also disembarked at St Helena but reportedly became ill during the return journey and later died. Oceanwide Expeditions noted that it has not been confirmed whether the two deaths are linked to the current medical situation onboard.

A third passenger, identified as a German national, died on Saturday, though the cause of death remains under investigation.

Health concerns escalated on April 27, when the British passenger fell seriously ill and was evacuated to South Africa, where hantavirus infection was later confirmed.

Hantavirus is typically transmitted to humans through contact with infected rodents, particularly via their urine, saliva, or droppings. The virus can cause severe respiratory illness, though person-to-person transmission is considered rare.

The MV Hondius, which is currently off the coast of Cape Verde with 149 people onboard, has also reported two crew members experiencing respiratory symptoms. One case is described as mild and the other severe, but neither has been confirmed as hantavirus.

The World Health Organization (WHO), cited by the BBC, said it is responding urgently to the situation. WHO Regional Director for Europe, Dr. Hans Henri P. Kluge, emphasized that while hantavirus infections can be serious, they are uncommon and not easily spread between people.

“The risk to the wider public remains low. There is no need for panic or travel restrictions,” he said.