WHO Confirms Cases, Raises Human Transmission Concerns

The World Health Organization confirmed on Tuesday that two people aboard the MV Hondius cruise ship have tested positive for hantavirus in laboratory tests, with five additional suspected cases bringing the total to seven affected individuals. In a significant development, WHO officials stated they suspect the virus may be transmitting between humans among close contacts on board.

Dr. Maria Van Kerkhove, WHO’s director of epidemic and pandemic preparedness, told reporters that the agency believes some human-to-human transmission may be occurring among people in very close contact, such as those sharing cabins. Hantavirus is typically contracted through exposure to rodent urine, feces, or saliva and is rarely passed between people.

Timeline and Casualties

According to WHO, illness onset among the affected individuals occurred between April 6 and April 28. Three deaths have been confirmed: a Dutch couple and a German national. The Dutch husband died aboard the ship on April 11. His wife, who had disembarked in St. Helena to accompany his body, died on April 26 in Johannesburg, South Africa. Her case was confirmed as hantavirus by PCR testing on May 4.

A 69-year-old British national remains in intensive care in Johannesburg. Two crew members, one British and one Dutch, require urgent medical evacuation and are scheduled to be flown to the Netherlands. Of the 149 people still aboard from 23 countries, no additional passengers have developed symptoms.

Evacuation Plans and Next Steps

The MV Hondius is currently anchored near Cape Verde off the west coast of Africa. Local authorities have barred passengers from disembarking on safety grounds. WHO is in discussions with Spanish authorities about sailing the vessel to the Canary Islands, with Las Palmas or Tenerife being considered as the destination for comprehensive medical screening and orderly disembarkation.

WHO emphasized that the risk to the global public remains low, but contact tracing has been initiated for passengers on an April 25 flight between St. Helena and Johannesburg taken by one of the deceased passengers. Dr. Van Kerkhove said the working hypothesis is that multiple transmission routes may be involved, with the virus potentially introduced before the ship departed from Ushuaia, Argentina, or at one of its island stops along the Atlantic crossing.

Sources: France 24, BBC