A critically ill patient has been admitted to the intensive care unit in Johannesburg, fighting for their life after a deadly virus outbreak aboard a cruise ship in the Atlantic Ocean.
The patient is one of several passengers on the MV Hondius who are sick. The illness has already killed three people, and health officials are working quickly to contain the situation.
The fatalities include a couple and another individual, all of whom were travelling on the vessel as it sailed between Argentina and Cape Verde.
As of Monday, health officials confirmed at least one case of the rare hantavirus, with five additional suspected infections currently under investigation.
The outbreak has triggered concern among international health authorities, as hantavirus is known for its severe and sometimes fatal effects.
Samples from infected individuals analysed
Typically transmitted through contact with infected rodent urine, saliva, or faeces, often via airborne particles during activities like sweeping, the virus can manifest in two dangerous forms.
Both usually begin with flu-like symptoms such as fever and headaches but can escalate rapidly.
One form leads to abdominal pain, nausea, blurred vision, and possible bleeding complications, while the other progresses into serious respiratory distress as fluid accumulates in the lungs.
In a statement, the World Health Organisation (WHO) said the situation remains fluid, with detailed investigations ongoing, including further laboratory testing and epidemiological investigations.
Samples from those infected are currently being analysed, and the virus is undergoing sequencing as experts work to better understand the outbreak.
Although hantavirus is uncommon, the WHO warned that it can, in rare cases, spread between humans, making close monitoring and coordinated medical response essential.
Health systems placed on high alert
The organisation confirmed it is facilitating cooperation between affected countries and the ship’s operators, including arranging urgent medical evacuations for two symptomatic passengers.
The crew closely observes passengers aboard the vessel, while global health systems remain on alert.
The WHO has activated international response mechanisms and is preparing further public briefings, stressing that the outbreak is being treated with the utmost seriousness as efforts continue to contain its spread.
Around 150 000 cases of HFRS are reported globally each year, with most occurring in Europe and Asia, according to the National Institutes of Health.
China alone typically accounts for more than half of these cases.
In the US, surveillance data show that between 1993, when they began monitoring hantavirus, and 2023, they recorded a total of 890 cases.
The South African Department of Health is yet to comment about the outbreak of the virus and the admission of the cruise ship’s passenger to the hospital.
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- A hantavirus outbreak aboard the MV Hondius cruise ship in the Atlantic Ocean has led to multiple illnesses and three deaths among passengers.
- One critically ill patient is in intensive care in Johannesburg, with at least one confirmed hantavirus case and five more suspected infections under investigation.
- The virus, typically spread through contact with rodent excreta, causes severe symptoms including respiratory distress and bleeding complications.
- The World Health Organization (WHO) is coordinating international response efforts, conducting investigations, sequencing the virus, and facilitating medical evacuations.
- Health authorities worldwide remain on high alert due to the rare potential for human-to-human transmission, treating the outbreak with utmost seriousness to prevent further spread.
A critically ill patient has been admitted to the intensive care unit in Johannesburg, fighting for their life after a deadly virus outbreak aboard a cruise ship in the Atlantic Ocean.
As of
Typically transmitted through contact with infected rodent urine, saliva, or faeces, often via airborne particles during activities like sweeping, the virus can manifest in two dangerous forms.
One form leads to abdominal pain, nausea, blurred vision, and possible bleeding complications, while the other progresses into serious respiratory distress as fluid accumulates in the lungs.
In a statement, the World
Samples from those infected are currently being analysed, and the virus is undergoing sequencing as experts work to better understand the outbreak.
China alone typically accounts for more than half of these cases.
In the US, surveillance data show that between 1993, when they began monitoring hantavirus, and 2023, they recorded a total of 890 cases.
