Cruise virus alarm traps Atlantic passengers

Seven hantavirus cases have been identified aboard the MV Hondius after a suspected outbreak on the expedition cruise ship left three people dead and triggered evacuation plans for about 150 passengers and crew held off Cape Verde.

The World Health Organization said on Monday that two infections had been confirmed in laboratories and five other cases were suspected as of 4 May. One patient was critically ill, while three others were reporting milder symptoms. The vessel, operated by Oceanwide Expeditions, had been travelling from Ushuaia in Argentina towards Cape Verde after a polar expedition itinerary that included the South Atlantic and Antarctic waters.

Passengers on board are mostly from the United Kingdom, the United States and Spain, with four Canadians also among those awaiting repatriation arrangements. The ship has been anchored near Cape Verde after local authorities restricted disembarkation while health teams assessed the risk, arranged medical support and coordinated onward evacuations.

The fatalities include a Dutch couple and a German national. A British passenger who became seriously ill was evacuated to South Africa and remained in intensive care. Two crew members have also been identified as needing urgent medical assessment. The illness onset among those affected was reported between 6 April and 28 April, placing the suspected exposure period during the later stages of the voyage.

Health authorities are examining whether the first infections were linked to exposure during land activities in Argentina, including possible contact with infected rodents or contaminated environments. Investigators are also assessing whether limited person-to-person spread may have occurred among passengers in close contact, a possibility associated with some hantavirus strains, particularly the Andes virus found in parts of South America.

Hantaviruses are usually transmitted to humans through inhalation of particles from the urine, droppings or saliva of infected rodents. Infection can begin with fever, fatigue, muscle aches, headache, dizziness, chills and abdominal symptoms, before progressing in severe cases to coughing, fluid accumulation in the lungs, respiratory distress and shock. There is no specific antiviral cure, and treatment depends on early hospital care, oxygen support and intensive monitoring.

The public health risk outside the ship has been assessed as low, largely because most hantaviruses do not spread easily between people. Even so, the cruise setting has complicated the response. Passengers and crew have been asked to follow protective measures, limit movement, use personal protective equipment where necessary and cooperate with medical screening. Disinfection procedures have been carried out on board, and checks for rodents have been part of the environmental investigation.

Cape Verde’s authorities have faced a difficult balance between humanitarian access and public health caution. Medical teams have been allowed to reach the vessel, but permission for passengers to disembark has remained tightly controlled. Discussions have also included the possibility of moving the ship towards the Canary Islands if Cape Verde cannot accommodate the evacuation and quarantine arrangements required.

The MV Hondius is a Dutch-flagged expedition vessel used for polar and remote-region voyages. Such trips often involve older travellers, long-distance transfers, remote landings and complex medical logistics. The outbreak has placed fresh scrutiny on emergency preparedness in expedition cruising, where access to advanced medical care can be limited for days and where illness can escalate before a port response is available.

Oceanwide Expeditions has said it is working with international authorities to support affected passengers and crew. Families of those on board have pressed for faster clarity on evacuation plans, while some passengers have reported anxiety over delays, isolation and the uncertainty over when they will be allowed to leave.

The episode comes as cruise operators continue to rebuild confidence after years of pandemic-related disruption, with expedition travel attracting demand from affluent travellers seeking Antarctic, Arctic and remote Atlantic itineraries. The sector depends heavily on strict health protocols, shipboard sanitation and coordination with ports that may have limited capacity to handle unusual disease events.