Cruise Ship Hantavirus Outbreak Spreads, WHO Works with Countries to Trace 77 Contacts
A hantavirus outbreak on the MV Hondius cruise ship has led to three deaths. The World Health Organization (WHO) is collaborating with various countries to conduct epidemiological investigations and has identified and is tracing 77 contacts.
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- 📰 Published: May 7, 2026 at 11:00
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Central News Agency
(Central News Agency, Madrid 6th, comprehensive foreign reports) A hantavirus outbreak occurred on the MV Hondius cruise ship, and three patients have left the ship for treatment today. The cruise ship is expected to arrive at Tenerife, Spain, in three days. The World Health Organization (WHO) is working with various countries to conduct epidemiological investigations, having identified a total of 77 contacts, who will continue to be traced.
According to reports from Reuters and Agence France-Presse, Oceanwide Expeditions' 'MV Hondius' recently experienced a hantavirus outbreak, resulting in three deaths, drawing global attention.
The MV Hondius departed from Argentina weeks ago and arrived at its destination, Cape Verde, on the 3rd, but was denied docking by authorities for epidemic prevention reasons. After being stranded offshore for several days, three patients on board were today assisted by medical personnel in protective gear to be airlifted back to their home countries for treatment. The cruise ship will also set sail for Europe.
Spanish Health Minister Monica Garcia stated today that the MV Hondius is expected to arrive at Tenerife in the Canary Islands within three days, and all other personnel on board have shown no symptoms.
Garcia said that after the cruise ship arrives at Tenerife, healthy foreign passengers will be repatriated, while Spanish passengers will be sent to a military hospital in the capital Madrid for isolation. The duration of isolation will depend on the potential exposure time to the virus, as the incubation period for hantavirus can be up to 45 days.
The World Health Organization (WHO) stated that including a Swiss citizen who has returned to Zurich, Switzerland, for treatment, a total of eight people are suspected of infection, with three confirmed cases.
According to test results released by South African authorities, the confirmed infection is the 'Andes strain' of hantavirus, which can be transmitted from person to person through extremely close contact.
The Argentine Ministry of Health stated that rodent trapping and analysis will be conducted in Ushuaia, the southern Argentine city where the cruise ship departed, and an epidemiological investigation will be launched into the movements of the Dutch passenger who died from the infection. Subsequently, the RNA sequence of the Andes virus and clinical guidelines will be provided to laboratories in Spain, Senegal, South Africa, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom. Argentina currently has no related cases.
The Dutch government stated in a letter to parliament that about 40 passengers on the cruise ship disembarked on St. Helena, including the Swiss citizen who later developed symptoms.
WHO South Africa representative Shenaaz El-Halabi told Reuters that for this outbreak, South Africa has identified 65 close contacts, and other countries have identified a total of 12 contacts, who will be followed up.
Maria Van Kerkhove, WHO's Director of Epidemic and Pandemic Preparedness and Prevention, told Reuters: "'Close contact' (for human-to-human transmission) means very close physical contact, such as sharing a bed, sharing a cabin, or providing medical care. This is completely different from COVID-19 or influenza."
Van Kerkhove stated that the WHO is working with various countries to trace passengers who disembarked on St. Helena before the cruise ship arrived at Cape Verde. (Editor: Chang Ming-hsuan) 1150507
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(Central News Agency, Madrid 6th, comprehensive foreign reports) A hantavirus outbreak occurred on the MV Hondius cruise ship, and three patients have left the ship for treatment today. The cruise ship is expected to arrive at Tenerife, Spain, in three days. The World Health Organization (WHO) is working with various countries to conduct epidemiological investigations, having identified a total of 77 contacts, who will continue to be traced.
According to reports from Reuters and Agence France-Presse, Oceanwide Expeditions' 'MV Hondius' recently experienced a hantavirus outbreak, resulting in three deaths, drawing global attention.
The MV Hondius departed from Argentina weeks ago and arrived at its destination, Cape Verde, on the 3rd, but was denied docking by authorities for epidemic prevention reasons. After being stranded offshore for several days, three patients on board were today assisted by medical personnel in protective gear to be airlifted back to their home countries for treatment. The cruise ship will also set sail for Europe.
Spanish Health Minister Monica Garcia stated today that the MV Hondius is expected to arrive at Tenerife in the Canary Islands within three days, and all other personnel on board have shown no symptoms.
Garcia said that after the cruise ship arrives at Tenerife, healthy foreign passengers will be repatriated, while Spanish passengers will be sent to a military hospital in the capital Madrid for isolation. The duration of isolation will depend on the potential exposure time to the virus, as the incubation period for hantavirus can be up to 45 days.
The World Health Organization (WHO) stated that including a Swiss citizen who has returned to Zurich, Switzerland, for treatment, a total of eight people are suspected of infection, with three confirmed cases.
According to test results released by South African authorities, the confirmed infection is the 'Andes strain' of hantavirus, which can be transmitted from person to person through extremely close contact.
The Argentine Ministry of Health stated that rodent trapping and analysis will be conducted in Ushuaia, the southern Argentine city where the cruise ship departed, and an epidemiological investigation will be launched into the movements of the Dutch passenger who died from the infection. Subsequently, the RNA sequence of the Andes virus and clinical guidelines will be provided to laboratories in Spain, Senegal, South Africa, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom. Argentina currently has no related cases.
The Dutch government stated in a letter to parliament that about 40 passengers on the cruise ship disembarked on St. Helena, including the Swiss citizen who later developed symptoms.
WHO South Africa representative Shenaaz El-Halabi told Reuters that for this outbreak, South Africa has identified 65 close contacts, and other countries have identified a total of 12 contacts, who will be followed up.
Maria Van Kerkhove, WHO's Director of Epidemic and Pandemic Preparedness and Prevention, told Reuters: "'Close contact' (for human-to-human transmission) means very close physical contact, such as sharing a bed, sharing a cabin, or providing medical care. This is completely different from COVID-19 or influenza."
Van Kerkhove stated that the WHO is working with various countries to trace passengers who disembarked on St. Helena before the cruise ship arrived at Cape Verde. (Editor: Chang Ming-hsuan) 1150507
Choose to stand with the facts. Every sponsorship you make is a force to protect press freedom.
Download the Central News Agency 'First-hand News' APP to stay updated with the latest news.
The text, images, and videos on this website may not be reproduced, publicly broadcast, or publicly transmitted and used without authorization.