A cruise vessel carrying nearly 150 passengers remains stranded off the coast of Cape Verde in the Atlantic Ocean after a suspected hantavirus outbreak left three people dead and several others seriously ill, according to the World Health Organization and the ship’s operator.
The ship, MV Hondius, operated by Netherlands-based Oceanwide Expeditions, had been en route on a long polar voyage from Argentina to Antarctica and several remote South Atlantic islands when the health emergency emerged. After reaching waters near Cape Verde, off West Africa, the crew requested medical assistance, but passengers have not been permitted to disembark.
Cape Verde’s Health Ministry confirmed on Monday that the vessel would not be allowed to dock for the time being, citing public health risks, and has instead ordered it to remain offshore near the island.
Hantavirus is a rare rodent-borne disease transmitted through contact with infected rodents or their droppings, saliva, or urine. The WHO noted that while human-to-human transmission is uncommon, it can occur in rare situations, and investigations into the outbreak are ongoing.
Authorities are still trying to determine the source of the infection. One British patient, previously evacuated to South Africa on April 27, tested positive and remains in critical condition in intensive care. Another possible case involving a crew member with mild fever symptoms is also under evaluation.
According to Oceanwide Expeditions, two crew members—one British and one Dutch—are currently experiencing respiratory complications and require urgent medical attention. A deceased German passenger remains onboard the vessel, while another German passenger, a 70-year-old man, died earlier on April 11 after developing symptoms including fever, headache, abdominal pain, and diarrhoea.
His wife, aged 69, was later evacuated to South Africa but died at a Johannesburg airport before she could return home. Posthumous testing confirmed she was also infected, bringing the number of confirmed cases to two in South Africa.
Among the remaining passengers onboard are 87 travellers, including 17 Americans, 19 Britons, and 13 Spaniards. The ship is also carrying 61 crew members.
Dr. Ann Lindstrand of the WHO said Cape Verde authorities had deployed medical teams in phases to assess the situation. She explained that evacuation planning is underway, with arrangements being considered to transport patients by ambulance to an airport for medical transfer.
“It’s been very tricky for Cape Verdean authorities,” Lindstrand said. “What they have to deal with is a public health event. And of course, they have been thinking about the protection of the population here.”
WHO added that it is working closely with local authorities and the ship operator to conduct a full risk assessment, including laboratory testing and epidemiological investigations, while providing medical support to those affected.
The agency also stated that discussions are ongoing regarding a possible diversion of the vessel to Spanish ports such as Tenerife or Las Palmas if evacuation in Cape Verde cannot be completed.
“The risk to the wider public remains low. There is no need for panic or travel restrictions,” said Dr. Hans Henri P. Kluge, WHO regional director for Europe.
The outbreak is believed to have originated during the ship’s voyage, which departed Ushuaia in southern Argentina on April 1. Argentine health officials confirmed that no passengers showed symptoms at departure, though they warned that hantavirus incubation can last up to eight weeks.
Authorities in Argentina noted that while cases are rare in Tierra del Fuego, outbreaks in other regions of the country have previously resulted in fatalities, including 28 deaths nationwide last year.
The National Institute for Communicable Diseases in South Africa is now conducting contact tracing to assess potential exposure among individuals who interacted with evacuated passengers.
Despite the seriousness of the situation, health officials have urged calm, emphasising that early medical treatment improves survival chances and that the virus does not spread easily between humans in most circumstances.
