Three people have died and a UK national is in serious condition in hospital after a suspected hantavirus outbreak aboard the MV Hondius, a small cruise ship currently off the coast of Cape Verde in the Atlantic Ocean. The vessel carries 149 people.

Operator Oceanwide Expeditions confirmed that a Dutch couple and a German national have died, though the cause of death has not yet been established. However, hantavirus has been confirmed in the case of a 69-year-old British passenger who is in intensive care in Johannesburg, South Africa.

Hantavirus is typically transmitted to humans through rodent feces, saliva, or urine, causing severe respiratory illness. Human-to-human transmission is rare. Two crew members also show acute respiratory symptoms, one mild and one severe, though hantavirus has not been confirmed in them.

South Africa's Health Minister Dr. Aaron Motsoaledi stated the British patient is in critical but stable condition, receiving symptomatic treatment. He added that contact tracing and testing will be conducted for all who interacted with the patient.

According to the timeline, a passenger fell ill and died on April 11; his body was removed at St. Helena on April 24. His wife also disembarked there and later died. On April 27, the British passenger was medically evacuated to South Africa. On May 3, a third passenger, a German national, died.

The World Health Organization (WHO) said it is acting urgently to support the MV Hondius. WHO Regional Director for Europe Dr. Hans Henri P. Kluge noted that hantavirus infections are uncommon and usually linked to rodent exposure, with low risk to the wider public.

A passenger on board told the BBC that three people are expected to be evacuated to Europe, while the rest will likely sail to the Canary Islands. Cape Verdean authorities have refused to allow passengers to disembark to protect the local population.

Source: www.bbc.com