A suspected hantavirus outbreak aboard an Atlantic cruise ship has killed three people, with the World Health Organization confirming one case and investigating five more. The incident unfolded on the MV Hondius as it sailed from Argentina towards Cape Verde, prompting swift health protocols for those on board.
“Detailed investigations” into the suspected hantavirus cases are “ongoing, including further laboratory testing,” a WHO spokesperson told the BBC. The rodent-carried virus, rare in such confined shipboard settings, has raised concerns about transmission risks during long voyages.
Hantaviruses spread primarily when people breathe in airborne particles from infected rodents’ urine, droppings or saliva, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Less often, bites or scratches play a role. The pathogen can trigger Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome, starting with fever, fatigue, and muscle aches before progressing to life-threatening lung failure, which carries a 38 per cent mortality rate. A graver form, Haemorrhagic Fever with Renal Syndrome, damages the kidneys and may cause bleeding or organ shutdown.
Globally, around 150,000 Haemorrhagic Fever cases occur annually, mostly in China, Europe and Asia, per National Institutes of Health data. The U.S. has seen 890 infections since tracking began in 1993, often involving widespread strains like Seoul virus from brown rats.
Treatment remains supportive only, with no dedicated cure. Doctors provide oxygen, ventilation, or dialysis as needed in intensive care. Prevention centres on avoiding rodents by sealing homes and using protective gear for clean-ups, the CDC advises.
The outbreak echoes the February 2025 death of Betsy Arakawa, wife of Oscar winner Gene Hackman, from HPS linked to rodent nests at her New Mexico property. Dead rodents were found in nearby outbuildings where she was discovered. Police records revealed online searches for flu and Covid symptoms in her final days.
While a 2024 U.S. park cluster claimed four lives, cruise cases like this are unprecedented. Climate shifts boosting rodent populations may heighten travel threats, experts say. The ship is now under quarantine awaiting results.