![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/8b5027b0a68e8ee2586aba7d75689850.jpeg\")
<\/p>\nCape Verde health authorities have banned a cruise ship with a suspected hantavirus outbreak from docking at the port of Praia despite the cruise company asking for help.<\/p>\n
Netherlands-based Oceanwide Expeditions said it was “managing a serious medical situation” on a polar expedition ship, the MV Hondius, which was off Cape Verde, an island nation off Africa’s western coast.<\/p>\n
Three people have died and three fell ill after being onboard the cruise ship which departed from Argentina with about 150 passengers on board.<\/p>\n
The WHO said it was acting with urgency to support the response to the outbreak and helping the countries involved with medical care, evacuation, investigations and a public health risk assessment.<\/p>\n
“The risk to the wider public remains low,” WHO regional director for Europe, Hans Kluge, said in a statement.<\/p>\n
“There is no need for panic or travel restrictions.<\/p>\n
“Hantavirus infections are uncommon and usually linked to exposure to infected rodents. While severe in some cases, it is not easily transmitted between people.”<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Three people have died after a suspected outbreak of hantavirus on the MV Hondius. (Supplied: Oceanwide Expeditions)<\/p>\n
Despite the low public risk, Cape Verde health authorities have not authorised the cruise ship to dock at the port of Praia as a precautionary measure.<\/p>\n
The Atlantic Ocean archipelago nation’s National Directorate of Health said that all necessary safeguards were being put in place, including preparations for a possible medical evacuation by air ambulance for patients under observation.<\/p>\n
It added that the situation was under control and there was currently no risk to the population on land.<\/p>\n
Suspected hantavirus outbreak on cruise ship<\/a><\/p>\n A suspected outbreak of hantavirus, which is spread by contact with rat and mice faeces, has killed three people on a cruise ship.<\/p>\n But the cruise ship company, Oceanwide Expeditions, said two crew members still onboard the Hondius needed urgent medical care.<\/p>\n \u201cLocal health authorities have visited the vessel to assess the condition of the two symptomatic individuals,\u201d the cruise company said on Sunday evening local time.<\/p>\n \u201cThey are yet to make a decision regarding the transfer of these individuals into medical care in Cape Verde.\u201d<\/p>\n While local doctors have visited to assess the medical condition of the two sick passengers, no permission has been given to evacuate them to shore.<\/p>\n “Disembarkation and medical screening of all passengers require coordination with local health authorities and we are in close consultation with them,” the operator said.<\/p>\n It said Dutch authorities had agreed to repatriate the two symptomatic people on board and Oceanwide Expeditions was now considering sailing the cruise ship to Las Palmas or Tenerife in the Canary islands to disembark passengers.<\/p>\n Dutch authorities confirm husband and wife died<\/p>\n A Dutch Foreign Ministry spokesperson confirmed that \u200btwo Dutch passengers had died and it was exploring the possibility of evacuating some people from the ship.<\/p>\n A 70-year-old Dutch man who presented with fever, headache, abdominal pain and diarrhoea was the first victim and died onboard while the ship was near the British territory of Saint Helena, about 1,900 kilometres off the African coast, the South African health department said.\u00a0<\/p>\n His body was taken off the vessel there and was awaiting repatriation.<\/p>\n His 69-year-old wife was transferred to South Africa but collapsed at a Johannesburg airport and died at a nearby hospital, the department said.<\/p>\n The third person who died was a German national, Oceanwide Expeditions confirmed.<\/p>\n