International health bodies and national authorities are scrambling to locate passengers and crew who disembarked from the exploration ship MV Hondius following a deadly hantavirus outbreak. The vessel, carrying nearly 150 people from 23 countries, has become the focus of a wide-reaching search for potential carriers of the virus, with several deaths now confirmed.
Global Hunt Underway
Authorities are racing to trace individuals who left the MV Hondius at various ports, particularly on the remote Atlantic island of St. Helena. On April 24, approximately 29 passengers disembarked on St. Helena without undergoing immediate contact tracing, according to the cruise operator Oceanwide Expeditions. These individuals then proceeded to their home countries via onward travel.
Among those disembarking at St. Helena were six American passengers.
Singaporean health officials confirmed they are monitoring two men who flew from St. Helena to South Africa and then returned home.
Swiss authorities reported a confirmed hantavirus case in an individual who had previously been a passenger on the ship. This case was identified on May 7 after the person sought hospital care in Zurich.
Deaths and Evacuations
The outbreak has resulted in multiple fatalities. A 70-year-old Dutch man was the first to die on board on April 11. His body remained on the ship until April 24, when it was disembarked on St. Helena along with his wife, who was accompanying his repatriation.
Read More: Hantavirus Cases Rise on MV Hondius Cruise Ship
A Dutch woman, who reportedly traveled with the deceased man, was taken off a plane in Johannesburg on April 25 due to a "deteriorating medical condition." She died on April 26, with test results confirming a hantavirus diagnosis on May 4.
A German national is also reported to have died due to the virus.
A total of three people were evacuated from the ship and transferred to the Netherlands for medical care.
Ship's Current Status
The MV Hondius, reportedly without any symptomatic individuals currently on board, set sail for Spain's Tenerife, in the Canary Islands, on Wednesday. The vessel is expected to dock on Sunday. Passengers and crew remaining on the ship have been instructed by the World Health Organization (WHO) to remain in their cabins.
Background
Hantaviruses are a group of viruses that can be transmitted to humans, primarily through the inhalation of virus-contaminated rodent excreta. While not all hantaviruses cause severe disease, some strains can lead to life-threatening conditions. The MV Hondius, an exploration ship, was on a voyage where it made stops, allowing passengers to disembark. The exact timeline of symptom onset and the initial identification of the outbreak remain subjects of ongoing investigation by the WHO to establish how the virus entered the ship.
Read More: Endometriosis Study: Higher Ovarian Cancer Risk for Severe Cases
