Written by Khaled Mahmoud

The cruise ship MV Hondoios is facing a critical health situation in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, after three deaths were recorded and a British citizen was critically injured, amid strong suspicions of an outbreak of the deadly Hantavirus among its passengers.

Oceanwide Expeditions, the ship's operator, announced that the deaths included a Dutch couple and a German national, noting that the final causes of death are still under investigation. However, other passengers have tested positive for the virus, most notably a British citizen who is currently in intensive care in Johannesburg, South Africa.

Reports also indicate that two crew members are suffering from severe respiratory symptoms and are awaiting urgent medical evacuation to receive the necessary care.

What is the Hantavirus?

Hantavirus is usually transmitted to humans via rodents (mice and rats) through contact with their droppings, saliva, or urine, and causes severe respiratory illnesses that can lead to death. The virus is rarely transmitted from person to person, which raises questions about the source of the infection on a cruise ship supposedly free of rodents.

The ship is currently anchored off the coast of Cape Verde with 149 people on board. Local authorities have refused to allow the passengers to disembark in order to protect the local population, while negotiations are underway for the ship to sail to the Canary Islands (Las Palmas or Tenerife) to serve as a gateway for disembarkation and comprehensive medical examination.

For its part, the World Health Organization confirmed that it is moving “at full speed” to support the ship’s crew, calling for no panic, with Dr. Hans Kluge, the organization’s regional director for Europe, stressing that the risk to the general public “remains low.”.

Certificates from aboard the ship

The BBC quoted a passenger as saying: “The atmosphere on board is relatively calm, but we are concerned about the source of the infection. The captain informed us that a plane is on its way to evacuate [people].” critical cases To Europe, while the rest of us will sail to the Canary Islands.”.

Timeline of the crisis

The crisis began on April 11 with the death of the first passenger, followed by the death of his wife after she disembarked on the island of St. Helena. On April 27, the condition of the British passenger worsened, necessitating his transfer by air to South Africa, before the third death, that of a German national, was recorded last Saturday.

It is worth noting that “virus Hanta made global headlines last year, after the death of Oscar-winning actor Gene Hackman’s wife from respiratory complications related to the virus in March 2025.