Cruise ship waiting for help off Cape Verde amid suspected deadly hantavirus outbreak
Summary
A Dutch cruise ship carrying 149 people is waiting off the coast of Cape Verde after three passengers died and others became seriously ill from a suspected hantavirus outbreak. Health groups and the World Health Organization are investigating, and the ship remains isolated as local authorities have not yet allowed passengers to disembark.Key Facts
- The cruise ship, MV Hondius, has 149 people onboard from 23 countries, including 17 Americans.
- Three passengers have died: one Dutch man, his Dutch wife (who died after transfer to South Africa), and one German passenger.
- At least three other passengers and two crew members are seriously ill, with one confirmed hantavirus case in intensive care in South Africa.
- The ship was on a polar cruise and made stops at isolated islands in the South Atlantic before reaching Cape Verde.
- Hantavirus is a rare virus spread by rodents that can cause severe lung disease or bleeding and has no specific cure.
- The cruise ship is under strict isolation while health authorities investigate the outbreak.
- The ship’s operator is waiting for permission from Cape Verde authorities to evacuate sick passengers.
- Only one case (the British man in South Africa) is confirmed as hantavirus; the others are suspected cases.
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