Deadly Virus Outbreak Hits Dutch-Operated Cruise Ship Off Cabo Verde

Health authorities are on alert after a suspected hantavirus outbreak aboard the cruise ship MV Hondius near Cabo Verde, which has killed three people and left several others ill. The World Health Organization is coordinating an international response, with one patient in intensive care in Johannesburg and investigations ongoing into additional suspected cases. Dutch authorities are also arranging repatriation of affected passengers, while the cause and full extent of the outbreak are still being investigated.

Cabo Verde is at the center of a growing health alert after a suspected hantavirus outbreak aboard the cruise ship MV Hondius, which has left three people dead and several others seriously ill.
The World Health Organization is coordinating an international response with several countries after confirming at least one laboratory-verified hantavirus case among six affected passengers. Additional suspected cases are still under investigation, with genetic sequencing underway to identify the exact strain involved.
The vessel, operated by Oceanwide Expeditions, departed from Argentina about three weeks ago and traveled through Antarctica before heading toward West Africa. It was carrying roughly 150 passengers from multiple countries when illness began to spread on board.
One critically ill passenger has been admitted to intensive care in Johannesburg, while Dutch authorities have confirmed that two Dutch nationals are among the deceased. Efforts are now ongoing to repatriate affected passengers and manage the handling of the deceased in coordination with the ship’s operators.
Health officials describe hantavirus as a rare but dangerous rodent-borne disease that spreads through inhalation of contaminated particles from urine or droppings. Although human-to-human transmission is uncommon, the virus can cause severe respiratory illness, often beginning with flu-like symptoms before rapidly progressing to lung failure.
The case fatality rate for severe infections can be as high as 40%, and there is currently no specific cure or vaccine. Treatment focuses on intensive supportive care such as oxygen therapy and mechanical ventilation in critical cases.
Authorities are also investigating how the outbreak may have started, including whether exposure occurred during earlier stops in remote regions or through contamination onboard the vessel. Environmental health checks and further testing are ongoing.
The WHO has emphasized the importance of rapid coordination between countries to prevent further spread, ensure safe evacuation of patients where necessary, and strengthen surveillance for similar outbreaks, particularly in confined travel environments such as cruise ships.