The total count of suspected Hantavirus instances during an emergency on a high-end cruise ship has climbed to seven as the symptoms encountered by unwell passengers have been disclosed.
Approximately 150 individuals onboard the MV Hondius cruise ship have been instructed to remain on board as the ship hovers in West African waters while authorities work to control the suspected rare, rodent-borne illness that may have propagated. The World Health Organisation stated that the number of cases has increased to seven, with two confirmed as hantavirus cases through laboratory tests and the other five under suspicion.
Hantavirus is an uncommon disease carried by rodents but occasionally transmitted to humans, typically through contact with the urine, feces, or saliva of infected rodents. Three passengers aboard the luxurious Dutch liner have passed away.
The other cases involve a severely ill passenger and three individuals with mild symptoms. The WHO specified that the onset of the illness occurred between April 6 and April 28, 2026.
Reported symptoms included fever, gastrointestinal issues, rapid progression to pneumonia, acute respiratory distress syndrome, and shock, according to the WHO.
The organization mentioned that an inquiry is underway along with “additional laboratory examinations and epidemiological research,” stating, “Medical attention and care are being provided to passengers and crew.”
The WHO also shared case studies detailing the specific symptoms experienced by each person. A 70-year-old Dutch male exhibited a fever, headache, and mild diarrhea on April 6, but five days later developed respiratory distress and passed away.
His 69-year-old wife reported gastrointestinal symptoms while departing the cruise to the remote island of St Helena with her deceased husband. Her condition worsened during a flight to Johannesburg, and she died at an emergency facility on April 26. It was confirmed on May 4 that she had contracted the virus.
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