Hantavirus cases rise as final passengers leave virus-hit cruise ship

Passengers of the hantavirus-stricken cruise ship MV Hondius gesture after disembarking in the port of Granadilla de Abona on the island of Tenerife in Spain's Canary Islands on May 11, 2026. [AFP]

Three new positive cases linked to the deadly hantavirus outbreak aboard the cruise ship MV Hondius have been confirmed by health authorities as the last passengers disembarked from the vessel.

The ship departed Tenerife for the Netherlands on Monday after its final six passengers four Australians, one Briton and one New Zealander together with some crew members, left the vessel.

So far, three passengers who travelled on the ship have died, with two of the deaths laboratory-confirmed as hantavirus infections.

Despite the rare outbreak linked to the international cruise ship, global and African health authorities say there is no evidence of local transmission in Africa, and the public health risk remains low.

The outbreak is linked to the MV Hondius, which departed Ushuaia, Argentina, on April 1 carrying 147 passengers and crew from 23 countries. An elderly Dutch man is believed to have been the first infected passenger and died on board on April 11 before testing could confirm the diagnosis.

His wife later disembarked on April 24 on St Helena and travelled to South Africa, where she died two days later in a clinic in Johannesburg after developing severe symptoms.

Another passenger was medically evacuated to a private hospital in Sandton, while two others developed acute respiratory illness during travel.

South Africa’s Department of Health confirmed at least one laboratory-confirmed case linked to the cruise ship, with three deaths reported among suspected cases.

World Health Organisation (WHO) Regional Director for Africa, Professor Mohamed Janabi, said the situation is being closely monitored but stressed that risk to Africa remains low.

“Hantavirus is a rare disease typically linked to exposure to infected rodents, and while severe in some cases, it is not easily transmitted between people,” Janabi said. He added that WHO is supporting investigations, evacuations, and risk assessments with affected countries and ship operators.

The National Institute of Communicable Diseases (NICD) says hantavirus pulmonary syndrome is mainly spread through inhalation of particles from infected rodent urine or droppings. Human-to-human transmission is extremely rare and has only been documented in specific strains such as the Andes virus in South America.

Symptoms include fever, muscle aches, vomiting and later severe respiratory distress. The fatality rate can reach 30 to 50 per cent.

There is no specific antiviral treatment, with care focused on oxygen therapy and intensive hospital management.