Hantavirus Outbreak on Cruise Ship Sparks Global Health Monitoring Effort

By Maryanne Awuya

Health authorities across several countries are intensifying contact tracing efforts following a hantavirus outbreak aboard the cruise ship, which has resulted in three deaths and multiple confirmed infections among passengers and crew.

The vessel, operated by Oceanwide Expeditions, departed Argentina last month and carried passengers from more than 20 countries, including the United Kingdom, the United States, South Africa, Switzerland, Singapore and the Netherlands.

According to the World Health Organization, five confirmed infections linked to the cruise ship have been identified, while additional suspected cases remain under investigation.

Authorities say the outbreak involves the Andes strain of hantavirus, a rare but potentially deadly disease typically spread through exposure to infected rodents.

The first suspected victim, a 70-year-old Dutch passenger, reportedly developed fever, headache, abdominal pain and diarrhea before dying onboard on April 11.

A Dutch woman who had shared a cabin with him later died after disembarking in South Africa, while a German national also died following the voyage.

Several passengers have since been medically evacuated to Europe for treatment.

Among them are a British national receiving intensive care in Johannesburg, a German passenger, and a Dutch crew member currently being treated in the Netherlands.

Despite fears raised by the international spread of passengers, health officials have stressed that the situation is not comparable to the Covid-19 pandemic.

“This is not Covid, this is not influenza, it spreads very, very differently,” WHO infectious disease expert Maria Van Kerkhove said during a briefing on Thursday.

Experts explained that while the Andes strain has shown limited human-to-human transmission in previous outbreaks, infections generally require prolonged close contact.

Public health agencies say the virus is not spread through casual everyday interactions.

The UK Health Security Agency confirmed that British nationals linked to the voyage are being monitored, with some voluntarily self-isolating as a precaution.

Similar monitoring efforts are ongoing in the United States, Singapore and several European countries.

Authorities said passengers remaining aboard the MV Hondius have been isolating under strict precautionary measures while the ship undergoes deep cleaning procedures.

The vessel is expected to arrive in the Canary Islands, where passengers and crew will be flown back to their home countries under medical supervision.

Health experts maintain that the overall risk to the wider public remains very low, even as international contact tracing efforts continue.