A British crew member needed urgent medical care and a UK passenger remained critically ill but stable after a suspected hantavirus outbreak aboard the expedition ship MV Hondius, which is anchored off Cape Verde.
The Hondius left southern Argentina in March with 149 people from 23 countries on board. The World Health Organization said it was investigating a suspected outbreak and reported that by 4 May 2026 seven cases had been identified: two laboratory confirmed and five suspected. Among those cases were three deaths, one patient in critical condition, and three people with mild symptoms.
Oceanwide Expeditions, the vessel operator, said three people connected to the voyage have died. The first, a Dutch national, died on 11 April and was disembarked at St Helena on 24 April with his wife. A 69-year-old Dutch woman collapsed at a South African airport while trying to return home and later died in hospital. A German passenger died on 2 May. On 27 April a British passenger became seriously ill and was evacuated to Johannesburg, where testing identified a hantavirus variant; he remains in intensive care in critical but stable condition.
The operator also reported two ill crew members, one British and one Dutch, with acute respiratory symptoms. One crew case was described as mild and the other as severe; both required urgent medical attention. Authorities are investigating the precise cause of illness and any links between cases.
The 107-metre Hondius, which runs extended Atlantic Odyssey voyages to remote islands and Antarctica, is anchored off Praia on Santiago island. Cape Verdean health authorities denied permission to dock, citing protection of national public health, and are coordinating with Dutch and UK authorities. Oceanwide said it has implemented strict onboard precautions including isolation of ill people, enhanced hygiene protocols and medical monitoring. The company said repatriation and further medical arrangements are being made with Dutch authorities pending local approvals, and that the ship might instead sail to Las Palmas or Tenerife for additional handling and screening.
Passengers described uncertainty and anxiety while the situation was being managed. US travel blogger Jake Rosmarin posted an emotional video describing the distress caused by the unknown and the effects on families ashore.
Public health agencies have launched contact tracing and investigations. South Africa’s National Institute for Communicable Diseases is tracing contacts around Johannesburg after the evacuation of the British patient. The Netherlands’ RIVM is assisting and said the source of the infections remains unclear, noting possibilities such as rodents on board or exposure during a South American port call. The WHO assessed the risk to the wider public as low and urged that panic or travel restrictions were unnecessary.
Hantaviruses are usually carried by rodents and can be transmitted to people through contact with rodent urine, droppings or saliva, or by inhaling contaminated dust. They can cause severe respiratory illness and have been fatal in past outbreaks. Human-to-human transmission is rare but has been documented for some variants. The family of viruses drew recent attention after the reported death of Betsy Arakawa from a hantavirus infection in New Mexico, and a 2019 outbreak in southern Argentina killed at least nine people.
The UK Foreign Office said it was monitoring the situation and in contact with the cruise company and local authorities. Oceanwide reiterated that repatriation of the deceased and the ill crew members depends on coordination and authorisation from Cape Verdean health authorities and other relevant agencies.