A cruise ship affected by a possible hantavirus outbreak is now heading towards the Canary Islands as one of the main options for disembarkation, after Cape Verde off Africa’s west coast refused it permission to dock on public health grounds.
The vessel, MV Hondius, operated by Dutch company Oceanwide Expeditions, is currently stranded off Praia after authorities denied entry for reasons of ‘national public safety’, forcing a rethink of how to manage the situation.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), at least six people on board have been affected by the suspected outbreak — three have died and three others have fallen ill.
WHO is coordinating the international response, including epidemiological investigations, laboratory testing and virus sequencing, while assessing the risk to other passengers and crew.
The ship set sail on 1 April from Ushuaia (Argentina) with 147 passengers and crew on board, bound for Europe. With Cape Verde refusing disembarkation, Spanish authorities are now evaluating the possibility of receiving the vessel in the Canary Islands, with Las Palmas and Tenerife among the ports under consideration.
Some 149 people from 23 countries remain on the MV Hondius under ‘strict precautionary measures’, including isolation and hygiene protocols, Oceanwide Expeditions said.
Oceanwide Expeditions said that ‘the option of sailing to Las Palmas or Tenerife as a disembarkation point is being considered’ and that once there, ‘further medical examinations and case management could be carried out’.
Spain’s Health Ministry and Foreign Health services are working alongside international bodies to prepare contingency plans. These include health screenings, clinical evaluations of passengers and the potential evacuation of serious cases if necessary.
The WHO said hantavirus outbreaks are typically localised and linked to exposure to infected rodents, usually through inhalation of particles from contaminated droppings. Person-to-person transmission is considered uncommon. Click here for the full details from WHO.
The source of the outbreak on board the ship has not yet been identified, and investigations remain ongoing as authorities monitor the situation closely.
There are 13 Spanish nationals among the passengers on board.
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#Hantavirus cluster linked to cruise ship travel:
— World Health Organization (WHO) (@WHO) May 5, 2026
Since 1 April when the boat set sail, of the 147 passengers and crew, 7 people have become ill, among whom 3 have died, 1 is critically ill and 3 are reporting mild symptoms.
Based on the current information, including how… pic.twitter.com/KDKwmrNeBt
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