The cruise ship “Hondius” on which several sick people were traveling. Image: keystone
The Hantavirus concerns the world health and national authorities. But what exactly happened and when? The timeline of the outbreak on the “Hondius”.
May 8, 2026, 1:17 p.mMay 8, 2026, 1:26 p.m
114 passengers boarded the cruise ship “Hondius” on April 1st – not knowing that the potentially deadly hantavirus was rampant among them.
As of now, three people have died from the virus, five further cases of the disease have been confirmed, and there are three suspected cases. The passengers came from all over the world, from Europe, Asia, America. But what exactly happened and when?
An overview of the process from the beginning of the outbreak to the WHO press conference on May 7th.
Before April 1st: Couple travels South America
The WHO believes that a couple from the Netherlands, who have since died, were infected with the hantavirus before boarding the ship – during a bird-watching trip. According to current knowledge, the two are patient zero.
The couple arrived in Argentina on November 27th and traveled to Chile and Uruguay in the following weeks. On March 27th they returned to Argentina, where they boarded the “Hondius” on April 1st.
April 1st: “Hondius” sets sail
114 passengers from numerous nations boarded the “Hondius” on April 1st in the city of Ushuaia in southern Argentina. The ship left Ushuaia that same day. The tour would take passengers to remote islands from the South Atlantic to Cape Verde. A six-week trip was planned, with passengers being able to disembark at each stop.
April 11: First death
After five days, the “Hondius” made its first stop at the South Atlantic island of South Georgia. Passengers could disembark to see penguins, seals and elephant seals.
A few days later the virus broke out. A Dutch passenger fell ill and died on April 11th. His wife will also succumb to the virus later.
The other passengers were informed about the death the next day. According to videos on social media, the captain was still trying to prevent panic at this point:
“We are not contaminated, the ship is safe.”
Captain of the “Hondius”
The captain’s words worked. A passenger told the Wall Street Journal: “We believed the captain. In retrospect, I wish this had been taken more seriously from the start.”
April 13th – 15th: Arrival on Tristan da Cunha
On April 13th, the “Hondius” called at the Tristan da Cunha archipelago. The archipelago, together with St. Helena and the island of Ascension, forms the British overseas territory of St. Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha.
A number of passengers left the ship in the days up to April 15, explored the island and did various activities. One group, a passenger and two crew members, gave a presentation to school children, according to a local media report. Others dined and drank at a local bar. Six new passengers boarded the cruise before continuing onward.
April 24th: Arrival on St. Helena – 29 people leave the ship
On April 24th the “Hondius” arrived in St. Helena. 29 people left the ship; for them it was the final destination of their journey. They stayed in hotels and some of them left the island on flights home.
Among them was the Dutch woman whose husband died on April 11th. She flew to Johannesburg, South Africa, where she later died. The WHO now fears that this could lead to further infections. She is now trying to track down the 82 passengers.
A Swiss man also left the ship in St. Helena. He is now also infected with the virus and is in a clinic in Zurich. According to the USZ, his condition is stable.
April 27: A sick passenger is evacuated
After two days near St. Helena, the “Hondius” left the Atlantic island again for Cape Verde. Then things got hectic.
On April 27, a man who was infected with the virus had to be evacuated. Stage three of an emergency plan was then initiated on the ship. This included isolation measures, hygiene regulations and medical monitoring. At this point, a medical team on the ship began conducting tests.
May 2nd: The next death
The next death became public on Sunday. A German passenger died on May 2nd due to the virus. At this time the “Hondius” was off the coast of Cape Verde.
May 6th: Departure for Tenerife
The passengers should actually be able to disembark in Cape Verde. But because of the outbreak, this was not possible. Instead, the “Hondius” sets off towards Tenerife. The ship is scheduled to arrive at the Canary Islands on Sunday, May 10th.
There is a clinic specializing in epidemics on the holiday island. The crew and passengers will be examined there and, if necessary, given medical care.
Also on Wednesday, three people were evacuated from board the ship: two sick crew members, a Briton (56) and a Dutchman (41), as well as a German woman (65).
The German woman arrived late on Wednesday evening in a special transport convoy for a precautionary examination at the Düsseldorf University Hospital (UKD).
May 7th: WHO informs at a press conference
On Thursday, the WHO provided information about the hantavirus outbreak on the “Hondius”. WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus confirms eight cases and three deaths. However, three of the eight cases are suspected cases.
WHO expert Maria Van Kerkhove said more cases could follow. The WHO and various countries are working to locate more people and test them for the virus.
Maria Van Kerkhovewho
At the press conference it was emphasized again and again that the virus was not comparable to Corona. Although this is a “serious” matter, the WHO classifies the risk to public health as “low”:
“This is not Covid, this is not flu, it spreads very, very differently.”
Van Kerkhove
The WHO also said that no one on board the “Hondius” is currently showing symptoms. The passengers are now being tested. It is still unclear how the journey home will be organized afterwards.