Hantavirus Cruise Ship Heads for Canary Islands as Global Contact Tracing Expands

A cruise ship linked to a hantavirus outbreak that has killed at least three people is heading to Spain’s Canary Islands as health authorities rush to trace contacts across several countries.

The MV Hondius left Cape Verde on Wednesday and is expected to reach Tenerife in about three days. Nearly 150 passengers and crew remain onboard, with strict isolation and medical monitoring in place.

So far, at least eight cases have been reported or suspected, including three confirmed infections. A Dutch couple and a German passenger are among the dead, while a British national remains in intensive care in South Africa but is improving.

The World Health Organization says the outbreak involves the Andes strain of hantavirus, which can in rare cases spread through close contact. However, officials stress the risk to the general public remains low.

Multiple countries, including Switzerland, South Africa, and the Netherlands, are now conducting contact tracing linked to passengers who developed symptoms during and after the voyage.

Authorities are also debating the ship’s planned docking in Tenerife, with Spain insisting it can be managed safely under strict health protocols.

Investigations are ongoing into how the outbreak began, with early findings suggesting possible exposure before passengers boarded in Argentina.