A British crew member on a cruise ship is in urgent need of medical care following a suspected hantavirus outbreak aboard the vessel sailing in the Atlantic Ocean. A UK passenger is also in critical but stable condition, according to tour operator Oceanwide Expeditions. The outbreak has already claimed three lives.
Details of the Outbreak
The British crew member is being treated in South Africa. The most recent death was a Dutch woman who passed away on April 27. The suspected outbreak occurred on the Dutch-flagged cruise ship MV Hondius, which was traveling from Argentina to Cape Verde.
The ship's journey began on April 1. A passenger died on board on April 11, but the cause of death could not be determined at sea. On April 24, this passenger was disembarked on St Helena, a British Overseas Territory, accompanied by his wife. She fell ill on the return journey and died, later testing positive for a variant of hantavirus. Both were Dutch nationals. On May 2, a German passenger died; the cause has not yet been established.
What is Hantavirus?
Hantavirus is normally carried by rodents and can cause severe respiratory illness, which can be fatal. According to Public Health England, the virus causes a range of diseases in humans, from mild flu-like symptoms to severe respiratory illness or haemorrhagic disease. The two serious infections are haemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) and hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS).
Government Response
A UK Government spokesperson said: “This is a deeply worrying time for all those on board the MV Hondius and the families of those affected by the hantavirus outbreak. FCDO Consular teams have been stood up across the UK, South Africa, Spain and Portugal to support British nationals and we are working around the clock with our international partners, including the cruise ship operator. FCDO teams are also in contact with the family of a British man who was a passenger on the ship and is now in hospital in South Africa.”
The situation remains under investigation, with health authorities monitoring the outbreak closely.
