Health officials on Tuesday said a rare strain of hantavirus may be responsible for an outbreak aboard the cruise ship MV Hondius, where three passengers have died and seven others have fallen ill. The World Health Organization (WHO) said that the possibility of person-to-person transmission "cannot be ruled out", describing the situation as unusual for the virus.
Hantavirusis typically spread through contact with infected rodent droppings, urine or saliva. However, officials say the outbreak may involve the Andes strain, which has been documented in parts of Argentina and Chile and is known to spread between humans in close contact.
"We do believe that there may be some human-to-human transmission that is happening among the really close contacts," said Maria Van Kerkhove, the WHO’s director for epidemic and pandemic preparedness and prevention.
The Andes strain is associated with a mortality rate of around 40%, raising concerns about its impact in a confined environment such as a cruise ship.
The Hondius, carrying about 150 people, began its voyage in Argentina on 20 March, although not from an area where the strain is typically found.
The vessel is currently anchored off Cape Verde, where medical teams in protective equipment have boarded to assess passengers and crew. Two crew members—one British and one Dutch—are among those being evaluated for possible infection. No passengers or crew have been allowed to disembark.
The WHO said no rodents had been found on board, increasing the likelihood that transmission may have occurred between people.
Officials believe the first infected passenger may have contracted the virus before boarding the ship.
"Our working hypothesis is that there’s probably a couple of different types of transmission that might be happening," Dr Van Kerkhove told BBC Breakfast, noting that passengers had visited multiple locations where exposure to rodents was possible.
The ship’s next destination remains uncertain. While Spain had reportedly granted permission for it to dock in the Canary Islands, the country’s health ministry said no final decision had been made.
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