Two confirmed hantavirus patients and one suspected case were evacuated from a cruise ship off the coast of Cape Verde on Wednesday (May 6) as health authorities stepped up efforts to contain the deadly outbreak on board.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the vessel remains at sea with nearly 150 passengers and crew still on board as it heads for Spain’s Canary Islands.
Medics in protective gear were seen at the scene boarding the ship to carry out the evacuation, including the ship’s British doctor, according to the AP.
Spain’s health ministry said the doctor was previously in a “serious condition” but has since improved. Later, the air ambulance took off with the evacuated patients.
Three deaths linked to the epidemic
The WHO said three people had died in connection with the outbreak, with one body left on the ship.
Of the eight recorded cases, five were confirmed by laboratory tests.
Authorities said the infection is a strain of the Andean hantavirus virus, which is found mainly in South America, particularly Argentina and Chile.
Hantavirus is usually spread through exposure to rodent droppings, urine, or saliva, although rare cases of human-to-human transmission have also been documented.
WHO: “This is not another COVID”
WHO epidemic expert Maria Van Kerkhove tried to reassure the public while emphasizing the seriousness of the disease.
“This is not another COVID, but it is a serious infectious disease,” Van Kerkhove said.
She added: “Most people will never be exposed to it.”
Van Kerkhove said access to clinical care remains critical because severe hantavirus infections can cause acute respiratory distress requiring oxygen support or mechanical ventilation.
The incubation period of the virus can range from one to six weeks or longer, according to the WHO.
Suspect source traced to Argentina
Two Argentine officials involved in the investigation told The Associated Press that authorities believe a Dutch couple may have contracted the virus while birdwatching in Ushuaia before boarding the ship.
Investigators suspect the couple may have been exposed to rodents while visiting the landfill during a field trip.
The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because the investigation is ongoing.
Authorities previously said no cases of hantavirus had been reported in Ushuaia or the surrounding Tierra del Fuego province.
Passengers isolated on board
Medical officials said all remaining passengers and crew aboard the MV Hondius are currently asymptomatic and isolated in their cabins.
Spain’s health ministry said the ship’s arrival in the Canary Islands in the next three to four days “will not pose any risk to the public”.
However, the regional president of the Canary Islands, Fernando Clavijo, expressed concern about the situation and asked for talks with Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez.
International tracking efforts are underway
Authorities across Europe and Africa are now trying to trace passengers and crew members who may have disembarked earlier in the voyage.
The ship’s itinerary included stops in Antarctica, South Georgia, Tristan da Cunha, St. Helena, Ascension Island and other remote locations in the South Atlantic.
Swiss officials have confirmed that the former passenger, who tested positive for hantavirus, is being treated at a hospital in Zurich.
South African authorities previously said two passengers who were flown there had tested positive. One later died, while the other remains in intensive care.
South Africa’s health department said officials had traced 42 of the 62 people believed to have had contact with the infected passengers. All 42 tested negative.
But authorities are still looking for another 20 contacts, including airline passengers and crew members who may have traveled abroad.
The rare outbreak is causing worldwide concern
The WHO noted that outbreaks of hantavirus aboard ships are extremely rare and said the current situation prompted an unusual international public health response.
Experts continue to stress that the wider public risk remains low, but authorities are closely monitoring all possible contacts as the ship continues its journey to Europe.
