Passengers aboard the cruise ship affected by the hantavirus outbreak received reassurance that the environment was not infectious after the first death was reported. Staff on the Dutch MV Hondius informed passengers about the unfortunate passing of a fellow traveler linked to the outbreak, which has claimed three lives since the ship left Argentina and began its journey across the Atlantic a month ago.
A staff member onboard addressed the passengers, stating that the recent death was believed to be due to natural causes and not infectious. Despite the tragic circumstances, the ship was declared safe by the ship’s doctor. The vessel, currently stranded near Cape Verde with 150 passengers from 23 countries, is undergoing health screenings to assess the extent of the virus’s spread.
Three passengers showing hantavirus symptoms were evacuated for treatment in the Netherlands, according to the World Health Organization (WHO), which emphasized that the public risk remains low. WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus confirmed that monitoring and follow-up procedures for both onboard and disembarked passengers have been implemented.
Amid discussions about the ship potentially moving to the Canary Islands, Spanish officials expressed concerns, with President Fernando Clavijo criticizing the decision-making process. Hantavirus is a group of viruses carried by rodents, with the strain identified on the cruise ship known for rare person-to-person transmission. Health officials highlight that the virus is typically contracted through exposure to contaminated air or direct contact with infected rodents.
