The UK confirms two British cases on board a cruise ship and a suspected infection on the Tristan da Cunha island. Published On 8 May 20268 May 2026Health authorities are monitoring a growing hantavirus outbreak linked to a cruise ship, with a new suspected case identified among a British national on the remote South Atlantic island of Tristan da Cunha.The UK Health Security Agency confirmed on Friday two British cases connected to the outbreak on board the MV Hondius, and said it is assessing an additional suspected infection on Tristan da Cunha. Officials have not released further details about the new case.Recommended Stories list of 3 itemsend of listThree people – a Dutch couple and a German national – have died after contracting the virus during the voyage. Five infections have been confirmed so far, with several additional suspected cases under investigation.The vessel is due to dock in the Spanish island of Tenerife in the coming days. British passengers who remain asymptomatic will be flown back to the United Kingdom and asked to isolate for 45 days as a precaution.Seven British nationals disembarked earlier in St Helena, a British overseas territory in the South Atlantic Ocean. Authorities said two are already isolating in the UK’s mainland, four remain on the island, and one has been traced outside the country.Global risk remains lowThe World Health Organization said global risk remains low, even though the Andean strain identified in some cases can, in rare instances, spread between people.“This is not coronavirus, this is a very different virus,” said Maria Van Kerkhove, WHO director of epidemic and pandemic management. “This is not the same situation we were in six years ago.” Advertisement Health officials have contacted passengers from at least 12 countries who left the ship earlier in April. Monitoring is under way across multiple regions, including the United States and Singapore, where returning travellers ar …
