According to Reuters, a suspected hantavirus outbreak has occurred aboard the MV Hondius cruise ship near Cape Verde. Three deaths have been confirmed, including a Dutch couple and a German national.

Mass Evacuation Planned

Approximately 150 passengers and crew remain stranded on board, and authorities are organizing an emergency evacuation. Hantavirus is primarily transmitted through rodents, and human-to-human transmission is extremely rare, though the risk in a confined environment remains a concern.

About Hantavirus

Hantavirus can cause severe respiratory syndrome and hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome. Fatality rates vary depending on the viral strain. The exact pathogen and transmission route in this outbreak remain to be confirmed by officials.