The MV Hondius. A cruise ship operated by Oceanwide Expeditions, is docked off Cape Verde after a suspected hantavirus outbreak claimed the lives of two Dutch citizens and a German national. One confirmed case and five suspected cases have been reported, with medical teams investigating how the virus spread on the vessel, which departed Argentina on March 20, 2026.

Confirmed and Suspected Cases

According to the WHO. One person has been confirmed with hantavirus in South Africa, a British national being treated in Johannesburg; Five others are suspected cases, including two crew members who experienced difficulty breathing. A 70-year-old man died on board, and his wife passed away in a hospital after collapsing at an airport; a third patient remains in critical condition in intensive care.

Outbreak Origins and Transmission

Hantavirus is primarily transmitted through rodent urine, droppings, or saliva, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Dr. Amesh Adalja, a senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security, told TIME Magazine that the outbreak could stem from either rodents on the ship or exposure during an excursion in an endemic area. Argentina, where the ship originated, is known for hantavirus, though no recent cases were reported at the time of departure.

International Collaboration and Risk Assessment

Argentina, South Africa, and Cape Verde are collaborating on virus sequencing to determine the exact source of the outbreak and rule out wider risks. The WHO has emphasized that the general public risk remains low, but the ship remains under quarantine with no passengers or crew allowed to disembark in Praia. Medical teams are providing care to the affected individuals, and the WHO is assisting with the evacuation of symptomatic passengers.

While hantavirus infections are typically linked to environmental exposure,such as contact with infected rodent waste—the WHO noted that certain South American strains may allow for human-to-human transmission. The agency is conducting detailed investigations and laboratory analyses to better understand the outbreak and its potential public health implications.