A man who was not present on the hantavirus-affected cruise ship but shared a flight with an infected individual is reported to have contracted the deadly disease. The French passenger is under close observation after showing symptoms of the rat-borne illness, having traveled with the Dutch passenger who was later diagnosed with the virus.
Following the outbreak linked to the MV Hondius cruise ship, three individuals have lost their lives, including a Dutch man, his wife, and a German woman. Efforts are underway to identify and monitor the passengers and crew who were on the flight from Saint Helena to Johannesburg, where the infected individuals were present.
British ex-policeman Martin Anstee and two other cruise passengers are receiving specialized treatment in the Netherlands, while another patient is under care in Zurich, Switzerland. The Swiss Health ministry has assured the public of no immediate risk following the isolated cases.
Health authorities in Argentina, the ship’s port of departure, are investigating the source of the outbreak and conducting rodent trapping and analysis in Ushuaia. The country has seen a surge in hantavirus cases, with a significant increase reported since June 2025.
The hantavirus, specifically the Andes virus found in South America, can lead to a severe respiratory condition known as hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, resulting in high fatality rates. Experts highlight the impact of climate change on the spread of the disease, emphasizing the need for preventive measures.
Although hantavirus primarily spreads through contaminated rodent droppings, human-to-human transmission is rare. The Andes strain detected on the MV Hondius is the only known hantavirus capable of human-to-human transmission, with an incubation period ranging from one to eight weeks.
