‘Deeply worrying’: statement as British tourists trapped on cruise ship after deadly 'hantavirus' outbreak

A British crew member left requiring urgent medical care following a suspected hantavirus outbreak on a cruise liner in the Atlantic Ocean.

Among the confirmed cases so far includes a passenger on the ship from the UK, who remains in a critical but stable condition.

Three people have died and two cases of the virus have been confirmed, tour operator Oceanwide Expeditions said.

One of the confirmed cases is the previously mentioned British passenger, who is receiving treatment in South Africa. The virus has also been confirmed in a Dutch woman who passed away on April 27 after disembarking.

Sky News reports that 148 passengers remain onboard the MV Hondius, including 19 British citizens as well as a range of other nationalities.

In an update yesterday (May 4), Oceanwide Expeditions said two staff members — one the UK and another from the Netherlands — were continuing to show “acute respiratory symptoms”, one mild and one severe.

The suspected outbreak was reported on the Dutch-flagged cruise ship MV Hondius, which was sailing from Argentina to Cape Verde.

Oceanwide Expeditions confirmed the British tourist remains in a “critical but stable” condition after being medically evacuated to South Africa on April 27, where they are being treated in an intensive care unit in Johannesburg.

The ship’s journey began on April 1, and a passenger died on board on April 11, Oceanwide Expeditions said.

The cause of death could not be determined on board. On April 24, this passenger disembarked on St Helena, with his wife accompanying the repatriation. The wife became unwell during the return journey and died.

Authorities later confirmed she tested positive for a variant of hantavirus. Both passengers were Dutch nationals.

On May 2, a German passenger on board died. The cause has not yet been established, the tour operator confirmed. The company added that guests will not be disembarking in Cape Verde, except for three individuals who will be medically evacuated.

“Dutch authorities are actively preparing a medical evacuation of the two symptomatic individuals along with the individual associated with the guest that passed away,” a company statement said.

“This will involve two specialised aircraft equipped with the necessary medical equipment and staffed by trained medical crews. This is not confirmed and is subject to change.”

The ship may instead continue to Las Palmas or Tenerife, but no final disembarkation point has been finalised.

Hantavirus infections, which are usually spread by infected rodents’ urine or faeces, can lead to severe respiratory illness and can sometimes be fatal.

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 (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) 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 risk to the wider public remains low, according to Hans Henri P Kluge, the WHO regional director for Europe. He added that there is “no need for panic or travel restrictions”.

While it is rare, hantavirus infections can spread between people, according to the WHO. There is no specific treatment or cure, but patients have a better chance of survival if they receive medical attention early.

“Strict precautionary measures” are in place on board, including isolation measures, hygiene protocols and medical monitoring.