JOHANNESBURG, South Africa — A British tourist is currently in critical condition in a Johannesburg intensive care unit following a suspected Hantavirus outbreak aboard a luxury expedition cruise ship. The incident has already claimed the lives of three people, including an elderly couple, and left several others seriously ill as the vessel crossed the Atlantic.
The outbreak occurred on the MV Hondius, a polar expedition ship operated by the Dutch company Oceanwide Expeditions. The vessel was traveling from Ushuaia, Argentina, toward Cape Verde with approximately 150 tourists and 70 crew members on board when the respiratory illness began to spread.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the outbreak associated with the ship involves one laboratory-confirmed case of Hantavirus and five additional suspected cases. The fatalities include a 70-year-old male passenger who passed away while the vessel was near Saint Helena, and his 69-year-old wife, who died in a Johannesburg hospital following a medical evacuation. A third death has also been linked to the outbreak while the ship was in transit.
The 69-year-old British national currently fighting for his life was evacuated to South Africa after falling ill near Ascension Island. Authorities from South Africa’s National Institute for Communicable Diseases are now conducting contact tracing in the Johannesburg region to monitor potential secondary exposure.
Hantaviruses are rare but potentially fatal respiratory diseases typically spread through contact with infected rodent droppings, urine, or saliva. While human-to-human transmission is rare, the WHO has noted it can occur with certain strains, such as the Andes virus, leading to severe pulmonary or renal syndromes.
"Rapid, coordinated action is critical to contain risks and protect public health," stated WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
The MV Hondius is currently stationary off the port of Praia, Cape Verde, as local health officials assess two additional symptomatic crew members who may require urgent hospitalization. The UK Foreign Office has confirmed it is closely monitoring the situation and is in contact with both the cruise company and local authorities to support affected British nationals.
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