Two Indians were also on board the ship carrying the Hantavirus; three deaths have been reported so far; the WHO issues an alert.

Cases of Hantavirus have been reported on a cruise ship currently stranded near Cape Verde in the Atlantic Ocean. The crew members aboard this ship include two Indian nationals.

News has emerged regarding an outbreak of Hantavirus on the vessel; so far, five cases have been confirmed, three of which have resulted in fatalities.

Operated by Oceanwide Expeditions, this luxury cruise ship departed from Ushuaia, Argentina, on April 1st and is expected to arrive at the Canary Islands in Spain on May 10th.

Two Indian Crew Members Aboard

According to reports, when the cruise departed on April 10th, the luxury vessel was carrying approximately 150 passengers and crew members from 28 different countries; however, on April 24th, dozens of people disembarked at the island of St. Helena.

According to a BBC report, among the people from 28 different nations aboard the cruise, 38 were from the Philippines, 31 from the United Kingdom, 23 from the United States, 16 from the Netherlands, 14 from Spain, nine from Germany, six from Canada, and two crew members were from India.

WHO Confirms Three Deaths

On Thursday, the World Health Organization (WHO) confirmed five of the eight suspected cases of Hantavirus. A 69-year-old Dutch woman, whose infection with the virus had been confirmed, has died. Her Dutch husband and a German woman are also among the deceased.

The United Nations’ health agency has stated that the spread of this virus does not mark the beginning of a pandemic. During a press briefing, Maria van Kerkhove, an infectious disease epidemiologist at the WHO, explained that the current situation is not comparable to that of COVID-19 six years ago, as Hantavirus spreads through close and direct contact.

Van Kerkhove remarked, “This is not COVID; this is not influenza; it spreads in a very different manner.” Authorities had also instructed everyone aboard the MV Hondius to wear masks. The WHO stated that the Hantavirus typically spreads from animals such as rodents; however, in the current outbreak, it has been observed for the first time that it can also spread from human to human.