A suspected hantavirus outbreak on the polar expedition cruise ship MV Hondius has left three passengers dead and several others ill, including two crew members.
One case has been confirmed as hantavirus infection. The ship, operated by Oceanwide Expeditions, departed Ushuaia, Argentina, about three weeks ago and has been traveling through Antarctica, the Falkland Islands, South Georgia, and the South Atlantic, currently off the coast of Cape Verde.
Hantavirus is a rare, often deadly respiratory illness transmitted through contact with rodent urine, droppings, or saliva. It can cause hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS), which has a 38% fatality rate, or hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS). There is no cure; treatment focuses on managing symptoms.
The first death occurred on April 11, with the cause initially unknown. The deceased passenger and his wife were taken to St. Helena on April 24. The wife later died en route to the Netherlands. A third passenger died on May 2. None of these three deaths have been definitively linked to hantavirus.
On April 27, a British passenger was evacuated to South Africa and is in critical but stable condition in intensive care. Tests confirmed hantavirus in that patient. Two crew members now show respiratory symptoms.
The World Health Organization and local authorities are investigating, with a focus on laboratory testing and virus sequencing to determine the full scope of the outbreak.