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A health alert has been issued after three people died from hantavirus on board a luxury cruise ship bound for Spain, prompting an international response and raising fresh questions about this little-known but potentially serious infection.

 

The vessel, the MV Hondius, had departed from Ushuaia in Argentina and was travelling across the Atlantic towards Cape Verde, with the Canary Islands as its final destination, when the cases emerged.

 

The World Health Organisation confirmed on Sunday that it is supporting the response to what it described as a public health incident at sea. Of six people affected, one case has been laboratory confirmed while five others remain suspected.

 

Three people have died and another passenger is currently in intensive care in South Africa. Two of those who died were a married couple from the Netherlands.

 

Investigations are ongoing, with further laboratory testing and epidemiological work underway. Medical care is being provided on board, while international coordination is in place to manage the situation, including the possible medical evacuation of passengers showing symptoms.

 

 

 

Hantavirus is a zoonotic disease, meaning it originates in animals and can pass to humans. It is most commonly associated with rodents, particularly through exposure to their urine, droppings or saliva. Infection typically occurs when contaminated particles become airborne and are inhaled.

 

While transmission between people is considered rare, the WHO notes that it can happen in certain cases and may lead to serious respiratory complications requiring close medical supervision.

 

Although not widely known, hantavirus is not new. The first outbreaks were identified in the 1930s, with the virus itself isolated in 1978. In humans, it can lead to two main types of illness: haemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS), which affects the kidneys, and hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS), a more severe respiratory condition.

 

Symptoms can vary but often include high fever, severe headaches, abdominal and back pain, chills, nausea and, in more advanced cases, breathing difficulties. Other signs may include blurred vision, skin rashes, facial flushing and red eyes.

 

 

There is no single universal treatment for hantavirus, and care depends largely on the form of the disease and the severity of symptoms.

 

In cases of HFRS, the antiviral drug ribavirin may be administered intravenously, alongside careful monitoring and supportive care. Recovery can be prolonged, sometimes taking several weeks or even months.

 

For hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, treatment is focused on managing symptoms and complications, often in intensive care settings. Patients who survive the initial phase of the illness generally recover within a few weeks and do not usually experience long-term effects.

 

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