Last updated: 1 hour ago

Three patients with suspected hantavirus infections were evacuated from the MV Hondius cruise ship anchored off Cape Verde on Wednesday, 6. May 2026. The Dutch-flagged vessel, carrying 149 people (88 passengers and 61 crew members), has been barred from docking in Praia as a precaution and remains offshore awaiting transfer to Spain’s Canary Islands. The World Health Organization said eight cases have been recorded, including three confirmed and three deaths. The evacuees, including a British, a Dutch and a German national, were transferred to specialised hospitals, highlighting concerns over infectious disease management at sea. The ship had departed Argentina on 1 April 2026 and travelled through Antarctica and the South Atlantic before the outbreak was reported on 2 May. A former passenger is being treated in Zurich, while others were hospitalised in South Africa. Passengers on board are isolating in cabins as contact tracing continues across several countries, with officials maintaining that the overall public health risk remains low. While most hantaviruses are contracted through contact with infected rodent droppings or urine and do not transmit between humans, the Andes orthohantavirus (ANDV) is a notable exception. This specific strain, identified in the current South American-linked cases, can spread via person-to-person transmission through close physical contact or respiratory droplets, making it a significantly higher public health risk in confined environments like cruise ships.

More about

Cape Verde: Three people evacuated from Hondius ship due to suspected hantavirus

Suggested for you

More Stories

Enterprise Group PLC donates GH₵2.4m to maternal health for Sunyani Hospital

Egypt annual inflation slows to 14.9% as monthly price growth eases

Biogas company aims to reduce bills, bush burning and pollution in DRC

NHIA CEO outlines three pillars for stronger Ghana health system

TPLF seeks to reinstate leaders, raising tensions in Ethiopia's Tigray

Nigerian Afrobeats star Tiwa Savage trains African music talents

Discussion