Atlantic cruise ship live updates: Three dead and British tourist in intensive care after hantavirus outbreak

The Dutch cruise firm emerged from scientific voyages to the high Arctic archipelago of Svalbard by the Netherlands-based Plancius Foundation.

Oceanwide Expeditions started commercial operations in 1993. It is based in the Dutch port of Vlissingen (Flushing) and specialises in expedition voyages to the polar regions, with the slogan: “Explore the best of Antarctica and the Arctic.”

The fleet comprises three ice-strengthened ships: Hondius, Ortelius, and Plancius.

The company says: “Our expeditions attract independent travellers from around the globe who are characterised by a strong interest in exploring remote regions.”

Passengers are typically aged between their 30s to their 80s. Most are between 45 and 65.

Oceanwide Expeditions sets out the procedure when passengers become unwell – which is largely concerned with Covid infections.

It says: “In event of passengers becoming unwell onboard we will follow a set protocol to keep that person and other guests, crew and staff safe and minimise potential spread of infections.

“Infected passengers (Covid or non) are recommended to stay in their cabins, have meals in their cabins and minimise contact with other passengers and crew. There is no requirement to go into isolation unless strictly indicated by a doctor or medical advisor.”

The operator of the MV Hondius has said Cape Verdean authorities have not yet authorised the disembarkation of passengers requiring medical care, as the ship remains off the coast of Cape Verde with three passengers dead and two crew members requiring urgent medical attention on board.

In a statement, Oceanwide Expeditions said local health authorities had visited the vessel to assess the two symptomatic individuals on board but were yet to make a decision on transferring them to medical care in Cape Verde. One passenger remains in intensive care in Johannesburg.

Dutch authorities have agreed to lead a joint effort to repatriate the two symptomatic passengers from Cape Verde to the Netherlands, the company said, along with the body of one of the deceased and a closely associated guest who is not symptomatic. The repatriation depends on authorisation from Cape Verdean health authorities.

“The priority of Oceanwide Expeditions is to ensure that the two symptomatic individuals on board receive adequate and expedited medical care,” the company said. It added it was working closely with the WHO, Dutch health authority RIVM, relevant embassies and the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The MV Hondius is a Dutch-flagged polar expedition vessel operated by Oceanwide Expeditions, designed for some of the world’s most remote waters. The company describes it as the world’s first-registered Polar Class 6 vessel, built to navigate ice-strengthened seas around Antarctica and the Arctic.

The 107.6-metre ship typically takes passengers on expedition cruises lasting between 10 and 19 days, with prices starting from around $7,800 per person. Its passengers tend to be adventurous travellers aged between 45 and 65, though the company says guests range from their 30s to their 80s.

On this voyage, the Hondius had departed Ushuaia in southern Argentina — a common gateway to Antarctica — on 20 March, heading north toward Cape Verde off the west coast of Africa. It is now docked in Praia, the Cape Verdean capital, with around 150 tourists from various countries on board, according to South African health authorities.

The Foreign Office said it was closely monitoring the situation and stood ready to support British nationals if needed.

The Foreign Office said it is monitoring reports of hantavirus outbreak aboard the MS Hondius cruise ship.

Here is the ministry statement in full:

“We are closely monitoring reports of a potential hantavirus outbreak on the cruise ship Hondius and stand ready to support British nationals if needed. We are in touch with the cruise company and local authorities.”

Symptoms of hantavirus vary depending on which syndrome it causes, but both can be severe.

HPS, which affects the lungs, typically begins one to eight weeks after exposure. Early symptoms include fatigue, fever and muscle aches — particularly in the thighs, hips, back and shoulders. These can progress rapidly to breathing difficulties as the lungs fill with fluid.

HFRS, which affects the kidneys, usually develops within one to two weeks of exposure, though in rare cases it can take up to eight weeks. Initial symptoms come on suddenly and include intense headaches, back and abdominal pain, fever, chills, nausea and blurred vision.

The WHO has said the virus requires “careful patient monitoring, support and response.”

Hantavirus is a rare infection passed to humans from rodents — typically through contact with their urine, droppings or saliva, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It can also spread through a bite or scratch from an infected rodent, though this is uncommon. While rare, the WHO has said it can also spread between people.

The virus causes two distinct syndromes. Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome, or HPS, is a severe disease affecting the lungs. Hemorrhagic Fever with Renal Syndrome, or HFRS, affects the kidneys. Both can be fatal. There is no specific treatment or cure, but early medical attention can improve the chances of survival.

The World Health Organisation has confirmed one laboratory case of hantavirus and five suspected cases aboard a cruise ship in the Atlantic, with three people dead and one in intensive care in South Africa.

“Of the six affected individuals, three have died and one is currently in intensive care in South Africa,” the WHO said in a statement, adding that medical care was being provided to passengers and crew and that virus sequencing was ongoing.

The WHO said it was facilitating coordination between member states and the ship’s operators for the medical evacuation of two symptomatic passengers, as well as a full public health risk assessment. “Hantavirus infections are typically linked to environmental exposure to infected rodents’ urine or faeces. While rare, hantavirus may spread between people, and can lead to severe respiratory illness,” it said.

Three people have died, and five others have fallen ill in a suspected hantavirus outbreak aboard a cruise ship travelling from Argentina to Cape Verde.

Two of the dead are a Dutch couple. The man, 70, suddenly developed fever, headache, abdominal pain and diarrhoea and died on arrival at the island of St Helena, a British territory in the South Atlantic.

The woman, 69, was evacuated to South Africa, where she died in a Johannesburg hospital. A third fatality was still on board, according to a source cited by AFP.

A British national aged 69 is in intensive care in Johannesburg and has tested positive for the virus, local officials said.

The outbreak was reported aboard the MV Hondius, a polar cruise ship run by Oceanwide Expeditions carrying around 150 tourists from various countries. The vessel departed Ushuaia in southern Argentina on 20 March and was due to arrive in Cape Verde on 4 May.