WHO Details Seven Hantavirus Cases on MV Hondius — Hantavirus Infections Cruise Ship
The World Health Organization said seven hantavirus infections cruise ship cases were identified on the MV Hondius, including three deaths, while the ship remained stranded off the coast of Cape Verde. The outbreak involved two laboratory confirmed cases and five suspected cases on a voyage that began in March from southern Argentina with 149 people from 23 countries on board.
“As of 4 May 2026, seven cases (two laboratory confirmed cases of hantavirus and five suspected cases) have been identified, including three deaths, one critically ill patient and three individuals reporting mild symptoms.” That statement came as the cruise operator said two staff members, one British and one Dutch, had acute respiratory symptoms and required urgent medical care.
MV Hondius off Cape Verde
The MV Hondius was held off west Africa after several people fell ill. A British crew member was in need of urgent medical care, and a passenger from the UK remained in a critical but stable condition in Johannesburg.
Jake Rosmarin, a US travel blogger on the ship, described the strain on people waiting for word about evacuation and treatment. “We’re not just headlines: we are people,” Rosmarin said in a video posted to social media on Monday. He added: “People with families, with lives, with people waiting for us at home. There’s a lot of uncertainty, and that’s the hardest part.”
Deaths and evacuations
The timeline on board stretched across several countries and dates. A Dutch passenger died on 11 April. The cruise operator said that passenger was disembarked on St Helena on 24 April, with his wife accompanying the repatriation. A British national became seriously ill on 27 April and was evacuated to South Africa.
A German national died on 2 May, and a second Dutch national died after collapsing at an airport in South Africa while trying to return to the Netherlands. Those deaths sit alongside the WHO’s count of one critically ill patient and three individuals reporting mild symptoms, showing that the outbreak reached beyond a single case or a single route off the ship.
Oceanwide Expeditions and WHO
Oceanwide Expeditions said the ship may continue to Las Palmas or Tenerife, but no final disembarkation point had been finalized. The WHO’s latest count leaves the immediate operational problem unchanged for the people still tied to the voyage: medical care, repatriation, and a decision on where the vessel will finally dock.
For passengers, crew, and families waiting ashore, the next confirmed step is the ship’s eventual disembarkation planning, with Las Palmas or Tenerife under consideration. Until that route is set, the outbreak remains a cross-border medical case at sea rather than a closed incident.
