The cruise ship is off Cape Verde.Image: keystone
May 5, 2026, 7:55 a.mMay 5, 2026, 7:55 a.m
After a possible hantavirus outbreak on a small cruise ship, its passengers cannot disembark in Cape Verde as originally planned. The ship operator Oceanwide Expeditions said there is no confirmed destination yet, but a continued journey towards the Canary Islands is being examined. A medical evacuation is planned for three people via Cape Verde, a group of islands off the west coast of Africa. The ship is currently moored in front of the port of Praia.
In the Canary Islands, for example in Las Palmas on Gran Canaria or on Tenerife, further medical examinations could take place when landing, the shipping company explained. These could take place under the supervision of the World Health Organization (WHO) and Dutch health authorities. “This still needs to be confirmed,” the shipping company said late on Monday evening. The mood on board the “Hondius” was “calm” and the almost 150 passengers were “composed as a whole,” it was said.
The cruise ship with 61 crew members set off from Argentina to Cape Verde a few weeks ago. There were several deaths along the way. So far, three passengers on the “Hondius” have died, an elderly Dutch couple and a German.
Hantavirus was detected in the deceased Dutch woman, as the shipping company explained, citing the WHO. Another passenger has been diagnosed with hantavirus in a laboratory and is being treated in an intensive care unit in South Africa. There are also suspected cases of hantavirus on board. The shipping company said two crew members were ill.
Three people died on the cruise ship.Image: keystone
Infection usually via rodent feces
Hantavirus can cause fever and severe respiratory illness in people. The kidneys are also often damaged. Infections can occur through contact with rodent excrement. According to the WHO, in rare cases the pathogen is also transmitted from person to person.
Infected rodents excrete the virus in their feces, urine or saliva, as the Robert Koch Institute explains. People usually become infected through blown dust – such as when cleaning out a dusty shed or attic – or through bites. An outbreak on a ship is unusual.
In any case, the WHO does not see any major risk for the general public. The organization says it supports the passengers and crew. A detailed epidemiological investigation is underway. (sda/dpa)