Three of six passengers who fell ailing from suspected rodent-transmitted virus have died, and one is in intensive care, the WHO says.
Printed On 3 Might 2026
Three folks have died on a cruise ship within the Atlantic, with no less than one confirmed to have suffered from hantavirus, a uncommon illness transmitted to people from rodents.
Well being authorities at the moment are investigating a suspected outbreak of the virus on the MV Hondius, which is crusing from Ushuaia in Argentina to Cape Verde.
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In a press release on Sunday, the World Well being Group mentioned that one case had been confirmed and no less than 5 different passengers had been suspected of being contaminated.
“Of the six affected people, three have died, and one is presently in intensive care in South Africa,” WHO mentioned in a press release.
“Detailed investigations are ongoing, together with additional laboratory testing and epidemiological investigations. Medical care and help are being supplied to passengers and crew. Sequencing of the virus can also be ongoing.”
WHO added that it was “facilitating coordination” between international locations to evacuate the 2 different passengers exhibiting signs of the an infection.
Hantavirus, a uncommon illness transmitted to people by the droppings or urine of contaminated rodents, could be deadly in extreme instances and trigger hemorrhagic fever.
Contaminated couple amongst casualties
South Africa’s Nationwide Division of Well being mentioned earlier on Sunday that there had been an outbreak of a “extreme acute respiratory sickness”, which had killed no less than two folks, and {that a} third individual was in intensive care in Johannesburg, in line with the AFP information company.
The ministry’s spokesperson, Foster Mohale, confirmed that the affected person being handled in Johannesburg examined optimistic for hantavirus.
A 70-year-old was the primary to develop signs. He died on the ship, together with his physique now being held on the island of Saint Helena, a British territory within the South Atlantic, the spokesman mentioned.
The affected person’s 69-year-old spouse additionally fell sick and was evacuated to South Africa, the place she died in a Johannesburg hospital, he added.
Mohale informed AFP that authorities haven’t confirmed the nationalities of the deceased. However the individual in intensive care was reported by AFP to be a 69-year-old Briton.
