Three passengers aboard the MV Hondius died after showing flu‑like symptoms, prompting the World Health Organization to confirm hantavirus in one fatal case. The vessel, anchored off Cape Verde’s Praia, has not docked yet. Officials are investigating five additional suspected cases among the roughly 150 passengers and 60 crew and medical teams awaited response next.

Among the deceased were a Dutch couple: a 70‑year‑old man who died on St. Helena Island and his 69‑year‑old wife who collapsed at Johannesburg’s O.R. Tambo airport. A British passenger recovered in South Africa. The outbreak follows the ship’s itinerary that includes remote islands like Ascension and Tristan, raising concerns for cruise safety among investigators and regulators.

Oceanwide Expeditions, the operator, reports that two symptomatic crew members remain aboard, though hantavirus has not yet been confirmed in them. The ship can accommodate up to 170 people in 80 cabins and carries a medical officer. Authorities in Cape Verde have not authorized disembarkation, leaving the crew’s fate uncertain for health and legal review.

Health experts warn that hantavirus, mostly spread by rodent droppings, rarely transmits between humans. With no specific treatment, care focuses on supportive measures like oxygen therapy. The incident underscores the vulnerability of cruise ships to infectious diseases and could prompt stricter health protocols, potentially affecting future itineraries and insurance premiums in 2026 year.