WHO monitors rare hantavirus outbreak aboard cruise ship; three dead 

World Health Organisation (WHO) says it is closely monitoring a rare outbreak of hantavirus-linked severe respiratory illness aboard a Dutch-flagged cruise ship. This follows the report of seven cases, including three deaths, among passengers and crew. The vessel, carrying 147 people - 88 passengers and 59 crew members from 23 nationalities - departed Ushuaia, Argentina, on April 1, 2026, and travelled through several remote regions, including Antarctica, South Georgia, Tristan da Cunha, Saint Helena and Ascension Island.

As of May 4, health authorities had identified two laboratory-confirmed hantavirus infections and five suspected cases. One patient remains critically ill in intensive care in South Africa, while three others with mild symptoms are still on board the ship, which is currently moored off the coast of Cabo Verde. The WHO said the first case involved an adult male who developed fever, headache and diarrhoea on April 6 during the voyage, and his condition rapidly deteriorated into respiratory distress, leading to his death aboard the vessel on April 11. A second case, involving a close contact of the first patient, emerged after disembarkation at Saint Helena on April 24. The woman later died in South Africa on April 26 after developing severe respiratory complications during a flight to Johannesburg. A third confirmed patient was medically evacuated from Ascension Island to South Africa after developing pneumonia and severe breathing difficulties and remains in intensive care.

Authorities in Cabo Verde, the Netherlands, South Africa, Spain and the United Kingdom have launched a coordinated international response involving epidemiological investigations, laboratory testing, medical evacuations and contact tracing. Passengers on board have been advised to remain in their cabins where possible, practise physical distancing and monitor symptoms for up to 45 days. Additional laboratory testing is being conducted by the National Institute for Communicable Diseases in South