Three passengers have died and several others have fallen ill following a suspected hantavirus outbreak aboard the MV Hondius, a Dutch-flagged cruise ship currently anchored off the coast of Cape Verde in West Africa. The World Health Organization (WHO) confirmed on May 3, 2026, that one case has been laboratory-confirmed and at least five more are suspected, prompting an urgent international public health response and a wave of concern about the rare, rodent-borne disease.
The MV Hondius set sail from Ushuaia, Argentina, nearly seven weeks ago, making stops in Antarctica and the British territory of Saint Helena before reaching Praia, the capital of Cape Verde. According to the ship’s operator, Oceanwide Expeditions, the vessel carried 170 passengers and 71 crew members, including a doctor. As the news broke, Cape Verde’s health minister, Maria da Luz Lima, stated that passengers would not be allowed to disembark, though local health authorities had boarded the ship to assess the situation and provide care for two symptomatic crew members in urgent need of medical attention.
The outbreak’s severity became clear when the WHO announced that three of the six affected individuals had died, and one was in intensive care in South Africa. Oceanwide Expeditions confirmed that all three deceased were passengers, and the Dutch foreign ministry stated that two of them were Dutch nationals. The first victim, a 70-year-old man, died aboard the ship, and his body is being held on Saint Helena. His 69-year-old wife, who also became ill, was evacuated to South Africa, where she later died in a Johannesburg hospital. The third patient in intensive care is reported to be a 69-year-old British national, according to South Africa’s National Department of Health.
WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus emphasized the urgency of the situation, noting that the agency is “facilitating medical evacuation of two symptomatic passengers, conducting a full risk assessment, and supporting affected people onboard.” He stressed that “rapid, coordinated action is critical to contain risks and protect public health.” The organization has also informed its National Focal Points in line with the International Health Regulations of 2005 and plans to issue a public notice to keep the international community informed.
Hantavirus infections are rare but can be deadly. The virus is primarily transmitted to humans through inhalation of airborne particles from dried rodent droppings, urine, or saliva. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) explains that most cases occur when these materials are disturbed and become airborne, posing a risk of inhalation. While direct transmission between people is extremely rare, the Andes virus strain—found mainly in Chile and Argentina, where the ship originated—is one of the few known to spread from person to person.
Symptoms of hantavirus infection can be deceptive at first, often resembling the flu. Dr. Sonja Bartolome of UT Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas told the Associated Press, “Early in the illness, you really may not be able to tell the difference between hantavirus and having the flu.” Initial signs include fever, chills, muscle aches, and sometimes headaches. However, the illness can progress rapidly, leading to tightness in the chest as the lungs fill with fluid—a hallmark of hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS). The CDC notes that symptoms usually appear between one to eight weeks after exposure. HPS has a fatality rate of about 35% to 38%, while another form, hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS), is more severe and primarily affects the kidneys, with a mortality rate ranging from 1% to 15% depending on the strain.
The global burden of hantavirus is significant, though outbreaks in Western countries remain rare. According to the National Institutes of Health, there are an estimated 150,000 cases of HFRS worldwide each year, mostly in Europe and Asia, with more than half occurring in China. In the United States, surveillance began in 1993 after a notable outbreak in the Four Corners region. Since then, only 890 cases have been confirmed in the U.S. through 2023, with most occurring in the Southwest, particularly New Mexico and Arizona. The disease drew renewed attention in 2025 when Betsy Arakawa, wife of late actor Gene Hackman, died from HPS in New Mexico after being exposed to rodent droppings in outbuildings on her property.
There is no specific treatment or cure for hantavirus infections. Supportive care is the mainstay, and early medical attention can improve survival chances. Severe cases may require hospitalization, oxygen therapy, mechanical ventilation, or even dialysis if kidney failure occurs. Dr. Michelle Harkins, a pulmonologist at the University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, told the AP, “A lot of mysteries remain,” including why the disease is mild in some and deadly in others. Researchers continue to follow patients in hopes of developing better treatments and understanding the immune response.
Health authorities have been quick to respond to the cruise ship outbreak. The WHO is conducting detailed laboratory testing, virus sequencing, and epidemiological investigations to determine the source and extent of the outbreak. The Dutch government is coordinating with other nations to repatriate symptomatic crew members and the body of one of the deceased. Meanwhile, Oceanwide Expeditions has reiterated its commitment to the health and safety of all passengers and crew, promising to provide further updates as more information becomes available.
Experts say the likely source of the outbreak is contamination from rodent droppings or urine, either brought aboard the ship or encountered during a stop in a region where hantavirus is endemic. Dr. Scott Miscovich, President and CEO of Premier Medical Group, told CNN, “When I first read this, I thought that they were making a misprint.” He added that if evidence emerges of significant human-to-human transmission, “it will change the future of travel medicine and infectious disease and tropical medicine.”
To reduce the risk of hantavirus infection, the CDC recommends minimizing contact with rodents and their droppings, sealing entry points in homes and ships, and wearing protective gear when cleaning potentially contaminated areas. Sweeping or vacuuming should be avoided, as it can aerosolize the virus. These simple precautions remain the best defense against a virus that, while rare, can have devastating consequences.
As the investigation continues, the cruise ship outbreak serves as a stark reminder of the unpredictable ways infectious diseases can emerge and spread, especially in our increasingly interconnected world.