Three Dead in Cruise Ship Hantavirus Outbreak, WHO Confirms
One confirmed case of hantavirus on MV Hondius traveling from Argentina to Cabo Verde; three victims died, one in intensive care in South Africa
Quick Look
- Three people have died and one is in intensive care in South Africa following a hantavirus outbreak on the cruise ship MV Hondius traveling from Ushuaia, Argentina to Cabo Verde.
- The WHO confirmed one laboratory-confirmed case and five suspected cases among six affected individuals.
AI-generated summary
Why It Matters
Hantavirus is a family of viruses transmitted to humans usually from rodents. It can cause haemorrhagic fever and severe respiratory illness. The outbreak on the MV Hondius represents a rare instance of the disease spreading in a cruise ship environment.
Three people have died on a cruise ship in the Atlantic, the WHO said Sunday, one a confirmed case of hantavirus – an illness usually transmitted to humans from rodents. The outbreak occurred on the MV Hondius, travelling from Ushuaia in Argentina to Cabo Verde, formerly known as Cape Verde. “To date, one case of hantavirus infection has been laboratory confirmed, and there are five additional suspected cases,” the WHO told Agence France-Presse. “Of the six affected individuals, three have died and one is currently in intensive care in South Africa.” Earlier on Sunday, South Africa’s health ministry said there had been an outbreak of a “severe acute respiratory illness” which had killed at least two people, with a third in intensive care in Johannesburg. The patient treated in Johannesburg tested positive for a hantavirus, a family of viruses that can cause haemorrhagic fever, South African spokesman Foster Mohale said.
Open Questions
- How did the hantavirus spread on the cruise ship?
- What is the source of the infection?
- Were there any preventive measures in place?
- What is the current condition of the patient in intensive care?
