A cruise ship became the center of an unprecedented hantavirus outbreak, with three patients evacuated off the coast of Cape Verde on Wednesday as the vessel continued toward Spain’s Canary Islands. Two of the evacuated individuals tested positive for the Andes virus, a hantavirus species primarily found in South America, while the third was suspected of infection. One evacuee was transported to a specialized hospital in Dusseldorf, Germany, and another to a hospital in the Netherlands, with both in serious condition.
The outbreak has resulted in three deaths, with one body remaining aboard the ship. Of eight recorded cases, five were confirmed through laboratory testing. Health authorities believe a Dutch couple contracted the virus while bird-watching in the Argentine city of Ushuaia before boarding the vessel, which departed from South America on April 1. The couple allegedly visited a landfill during their tour and may have encountered infected rodents there. Additional confirmed cases emerged in Switzerland and South Africa, with health officials actively tracing individuals who had contact with infected passengers at various port stops.
The approximately 150 remaining passengers and crew members are isolated in their cabins during the three to four-day journey to the Canary Islands. Spain’s health ministry stated the arrival poses no risk to the public, though regional officials expressed concern about potential exposure. The World Health Organization confirmed that hantavirus can spread between people through close contact, though such transmission is rare. The WHO noted this represents the first known hantavirus outbreak aboard a ship and emphasized that early medical intervention improves survival chances, as no specific treatment or cure exists. The incubation period can range from one to six weeks or longer.
Health workers from multiple nations are conducting contact tracing efforts. South African authorities reported tracing 42 of 62 individuals believed to have contacted infected passengers, with all testing negative. British health officials confirmed two passengers who departed earlier are self-isolating without symptoms, along with a small number of their contacts. WHO officials stressed that while hantavirus is a serious infectious disease, the risk to the general public remains low.
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