The World Health Organisation is coordinating an emergency response to a Hantavirus outbreak on a Dutch-flagged cruise ship that has killed three people and left one patient critically ill in intensive care.
The WHO confirmed on 4 May 2026 that seven cases have been identified aboard the vessel, including two laboratory-confirmed Hantavirus infections and five suspected cases. The ship, carrying 147 people from 23 nationalities, is currently moored off the coast of Cabo Verde.
The vessel departed Ushuaia, Argentina, on 1 April 2026 and travelled across the South Atlantic with stops at Antarctica, South Georgia, Nightingale Island, Tristan da Cunha, Saint Helena and Ascension Island. Illness onset among passengers and crew occurred between 6 and 28 April, according to the WHO.
Symptoms included fever, gastrointestinal problems, and rapid progression to pneumonia, acute respiratory distress syndrome and shock. The first death occurred on 11 April, the second on 26 April, and the third on 2 May.
One critically ill patient was medically evacuated to South Africa on 27 April and remains in intensive care. Laboratory testing confirmed Hantavirus infection through polymerase chain reaction testing on 2 May. Three individuals with mild symptoms remain on board under medical observation.
The WHO said authorities from Cabo Verde, the Netherlands, Spain, South Africa and the United Kingdom are coordinating response measures, including epidemiological investigations to determine the source of exposure.
Mohamed Yakub Janabi, WHO Regional Director for Africa, said the situation is serious but contained.
“This is a serious but contained event, and there is no need for panic or travel restrictions at this stage,” Janabi said.
“Our focus is clear: to save lives, contain risks, and ensure that countries are fully supported with science-based action.”
The WHO confirmed it is supporting medical evacuations and working with national authorities and the ship’s operators. Laboratory testing is being conducted at the National Institute for Communicable Diseases in South Africa, with additional samples sent to the Institut Pasteur de Dakar in Senegal.
Hantavirus infection is primarily acquired through contact with the urine, faeces or saliva of infected rodents. The disease is rare but can be severe, with a case fatality rate of up to 50 per cent in the Americas, according to WHO data.
Human-to-human transmission is uncommon, though limited transmission of Andes virus, a specific Hantavirus species, has been reported in previous outbreaks. The WHO said passengers on a flight carrying one of the deceased patients from Saint Helena to South Africa are being traced.
Symptoms typically appear two to four weeks after exposure and include fever, headache, muscle aches, nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain, followed by respiratory distress. Severe cases require intensive care, though no specific antiviral treatment exists.
Bhanu Bhatnagar, a WHO official, said Hantavirus infections are relatively uncommon and typically linked to exposure to infected rodents.
“They can be severe in some cases, and they are not easily transmitted between people. The risk to the wider public remains low at this time, and there is no cause for concern or travel restrictions,” Bhatnagar said.
Globally, between 10,000 and over 100,000 infections are recorded annually, mostly in parts of Asia and Europe. Symptoms typically appear one to six weeks after exposure and include fever, headache, muscle aches, nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain. Severe cases can progress rapidly and may require intensive care.
The WHO said it has notified countries under the International Health Regulations and is preparing a formal disease outbreak update. The agency maintains that the situation remains under control, with low risk to the general public.
