Additional Coverage:
A rare and potentially deadly hantavirus outbreak aboard the luxury cruise ship MV Hondius is believed to have originated from a male passenger infected prior to boarding, according to a World Health Organization (WHO) expert.
The Dutch-flagged vessel has reported three fatalities linked to the virus, with five additional passengers testing positive and three more suspected cases under investigation. The virus responsible is the Andes virus, notable as the only hantavirus known to transmit between humans.
Argentine authorities suggest that the initial infected passenger and his wife, who also succumbed to the illness, likely contracted the virus during a bird-watching excursion at a landfill in Ushuaia before embarking on the cruise. The typical incubation period for the virus is approximately two to three weeks, explained Anais Legand, a WHO expert specializing in viral hemorrhagic fevers.
Another passenger who traveled on the MV Hondius prior to the outbreak and returned to Switzerland has been hospitalized in Zurich. Swiss officials have confirmed this case, which emerged after the passenger responded to a health advisory from the ship’s operator and sought medical attention. This development raises concerns about human-to-human transmission of the virus.
The WHO is actively conducting contact tracing efforts to identify and monitor individuals who may have been exposed, aiming to prevent further spread.
MV Hondius Voyage Timeline:
- April 1: Departs Ushuaia, Argentina, with roughly 150 passengers aboard.
- April 5: Arrives at South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands.
- April 6: During regional tours, a 70-year-old male passenger becomes ill.
- April 7: Visits southeastern coast of South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands; then sails northeast.
- April 11: Passenger dies near Tristan da Cunha, an isolated island off South Africa.
- April 16-17: Tours Tristan da Cunha and circles Gough Island.
- April 22: Arrives at St. Helena.
- April 24: Deceased passenger’s body removed; his 69-year-old wife disembarks and flies to South Africa.
- April 26: The wife passes away.
- April 27: Ship docks at Ascension Island, later departing northwest.
- May 3-6: Stops at Cape Verde before heading toward the Canary Islands.
- May 4: Hantavirus confirmed in the wife’s test results.
Understanding Hantavirus:
Hantaviruses are a group of viruses typically transmitted through contact with infected rodents, particularly mice and rats. They can cause severe and sometimes fatal illnesses in humans but remain rare; the United States has recorded 890 cases between 1993 and 2023.
Rodent infestations on cruise ships are uncommon, according to Walt Nadolny, professor emeritus of marine transportation at SUNY Maritime College and former environmental officer for major cruise lines.
Oceanwide Expeditions, the operator of MV Hondius, announced on May 6 that the ship is en route to the Canary Islands with three additional medical professionals onboard. Spanish authorities plan to dock the vessel at Granadilla port in Tenerife, where symptomatic passengers will be quarantined at a military base near Madrid, while others will be permitted to return home.
This situation remains fluid, with health officials closely monitoring developments to contain the outbreak. Further updates will be provided as new information emerges.