Three people have died and 149 passengers remain stranded aboard a cruise ship off the West African island nation of Cape Verde following a suspected outbreak of hantavirus, a rare but potentially deadly disease transmitted primarily through rodents such as rats and mice. Health authorities are closely monitoring the situation as international contact tracing efforts continue.
Hantavirus is a group of RNA viruses capable of causing severe respiratory illness or kidney disease in humans. The virus is commonly spread through direct exposure to infected rodents, their urine, droppings, saliva or contaminated surfaces. Unlike COVID-19, however, hantavirus is not considered highly contagious in ordinary public settings.
Experts have stressed that the disease does not spread through casual contact, such as sitting beside someone on a plane or walking through an airport. Human-to-human transmission is extremely rare and has only been documented in limited cases involving certain strains, particularly the Andes hantavirus identified in this outbreak.
Concerns have emerged over the possibility of infected passengers travelling internationally, but health authorities say there is currently no evidence of widespread community transmission. Officials noted that if the virus were spreading rapidly through airports, flights or cities, clusters of infections would already be appearing worldwide, something that has not happened.
Swiss authorities recently confirmed a hantavirus case involving a passenger from the cruise ship MV Hondius. The individual reportedly sought medical attention in Zurich after receiving an alert from the ship’s operator regarding the onboard health emergency and is currently being treated in isolation.
The World Health Organization said it is working with several countries under the International Health Regulations framework to support contact tracing efforts and ensure that potentially exposed individuals are monitored. Authorities are also providing guidance to passengers and crew to help prevent further spread of the disease.
Laboratory testing has confirmed the outbreak strain as Andes hantavirus, according to findings by South Africa’s National Institute for Communicable Diseases and Switzerland’s Geneva University Hospitals. Additional support has been provided by Institut Pasteur de Dakar and Argentina’s Administración Nacional de Laboratorios e Institutos de Salud.
As of 6 May, health officials reported eight suspected cases linked to the outbreak, with three confirmed through laboratory testing. Three deaths have also been recorded, raising concerns because hantavirus infections can carry a fatality rate estimated between 35% and 45%, significantly higher than that of COVID-19.
Despite its high fatality rate, infectious disease specialists caution against panic. They emphasize that hantavirus outbreaks are typically contained through swift isolation measures, rodent control and careful monitoring of close contacts rather than large-scale lockdowns or travel restrictions.
Medical experts continue to urge the public to remain informed but calm, noting that the professionals handling the outbreak are following established international health protocols designed to limit infections and protect passengers, crew members and surrounding communities.
