3 evacuated from hantavirus cruise ship as Canary Islands rejects it – Image for illustrative purposes only (Image credits: Unsplash)
Off Cape Verde — Three passengers were medevaced from the MV Hondius cruise ship as health officials confirmed cases of a rare human-to-human transmissible hantavirus strain linked to the vessel.[1][2] The Dutch-flagged ship, anchored in the Atlantic with about 150 passengers and crew aboard, now heads toward Spain’s Canary Islands amid a political dispute.[3] Regional leaders there rejected the plan, heightening tensions with Spain’s central government.
The Voyage Turns Deadly
The MV Hondius departed Ushuaia, Argentina, on April 1 for an expedition through remote southern waters, including stops in Antarctica, South Georgia, Tristan da Cunha, and St. Helena.[4] Passengers and crew fell ill starting early April, with symptoms progressing to severe respiratory distress.[3] Authorities confirmed two hantavirus cases on board, with five more suspected, marking the first known outbreak of its kind on a cruise ship.[1]
Three deaths occurred among those connected to the voyage: a 70-year-old Dutch man aboard on April 11, his 69-year-old wife in Johannesburg on April 26, and a German national recently on the ship.[2] The source remained unclear, though experts pointed to possible rodent exposure before boarding or during wildlife excursions.[4] Cape Verde authorities quarantined the vessel offshore, barring disembarkation and confining everyone to cabins.
Urgent Evacuations and Transmission Alarms
Medical teams airlifted three symptomatic individuals on Wednesday: a 56-year-old British crew member, a 41-year-old Dutch national, and a 65-year-old German, bound for the Netherlands.[2] A British doctor aboard, in serious condition, joined earlier evacuees, while another British man recovered in Johannesburg.[3] These actions cleared the way for the ship to depart Cape Verde waters.
Separate tests heightened concerns. South Africa’s health ministry identified the Andes strain—the only hantavirus known for human-to-human spread in close contact—in the Dutch woman who died and the British patient there.[5] Swiss officials treated a passenger who returned to Zurich, confirming infection but no wider risk.[2] World Health Organization experts noted close contacts, like cabin-sharing couples, fueled suspicions of transmission, though such cases stayed rare.[1]
Political Standoff Over Safe Harbor
Spain’s health ministry approved the ship’s three-to-four-day sail to Gran Canaria or Tenerife, promising inspections, treatment, and repatriation under international protocols.[3] Officials cited humanitarian duties, especially with Spanish nationals aboard, and Cape Verde’s limited capacity.[4]
Canary Islands President Fernando Clavijo pushed back forcefully. “This decision is not based on any technical criteria, nor is there sufficient information to reassure the public or guarantee their safety,” he stated, demanding talks with Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez.[6][1] The regional opposition underscored fears of local exposure despite central assurances of isolated handling.
Hantavirus Risks in Focus
Hantaviruses typically spread through inhaling infected rodent waste, causing flu-like illness that turns fatal in up to 40 percent of cases without specific treatment.[1] The WHO emphasized this outbreak differed from airborne pandemics like flu or COVID, with low general public risk.[4] Dr. Maria Van Kerkhove, WHO’s epidemics chief, said: “We do know that some of the cases had very close contact with each other and certainly human-to-human transmission can’t be ruled out.”[1]
Key Developments:
- 8 total cases linked (3 confirmed, 5 suspected).
- Andes strain verified in South Africa evacuees.
- Contact tracing active for 62 exposed individuals.
- Ship operator enforces strict isolation protocols.
Aboard, passengers like travel influencer Jake Rosmarin expressed frustration but resolve: “All we want right now is to feel safe, to have clarity and to get home.”[3] As the MV Hondius steams toward resolution, global health teams monitored for any escalation.
