Health authorities are investigating a rare but deadly hantavirus outbreak linked to a Dutch-flagged cruise ship that sailed across the South Atlantic in April, the World Health Organization (WHO) has confirmed.
As of 4 May 2026, seven passengers and crew have fallen ill with severe respiratory disease, including two laboratory-confirmed hantavirus infections, five suspected cases and three deaths. The vessel, which departed Ushuaia, Argentina, on 1 April and visited remote destinations including Antarctica, South Georgia, Tristan da Cunha and Saint Helena, is now moored off Cabo Verde with three suspected cases still on board under medical evaluation.
The patients developed fever, gastrointestinal symptoms and rapidly progressive pneumonia between 6 and 28 April, with one man and one woman dying after disembarking at Saint Helena and during onward travel to South Africa. A third patient is in intensive care in South Africa after medical evacuation from Ascension Island.
Authorities from Cabo Verde, the Netherlands, South Africa, Spain, the United Kingdom and Argentina, supported by WHO, have launched a coordinated response including case isolation, contact tracing, laboratory testing in specialized centres and strict infection prevention measures on board.
While hantavirus is usually transmitted through contact with infected rodents and human-to-human spread has only rarely been documented, WHO currently assesses the global risk from this event as low but is urging continued vigilance, early detection of symptoms and rigorous hygiene and environmental cleaning on the ship and in affected countries.
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