Two Belgians on board cruise ship where hantavirus may have broken out
There are two Belgians on board the cruise ship MV Hondius, operated by the Dutch shipping company Oceanwide Expeditions, on which three passengers have died. Those three people may have died as a result of the hantavirus.
A day after it emerged that three people have died on an Oceanwide Expeditions cruise ship, the Dutch company provided further information about the situation on board. At present, there are still 149 people on board the ship, which is currently off the coast of Cape Verde. The passenger list also includes two Belgians.
There are also two crew members on board exhibiting “acute respiratory symptoms”. Both require urgent medical attention. At present, no other individuals have been identified as having symptoms, according to the shipping company.
On 27 April, another passenger – a 69-year-old British man – fell seriously ill on board. The man was taken to a hospital in South Africa. There, he was diagnosed with the rare hantavirus. He is currently reported to be in “a critical but stable condition”.
Oceanwide Expeditions emphasised that there is currently only one confirmed case of the hantavirus on board. “The hantavirus has not yet been confirmed in the two people who are still on board and require medical care. Nor has it been established that the virus is linked to the three deaths associated with this voyage. The exact cause and any possible connection are being investigated."
The company is currently awaiting authorisation for the medical evacuation of the passengers.
Hantaviruses form a family of viruses that are primarily spread by rodents, often through direct or indirect contact with their urine, faeces or saliva. There are several variants. In Europe and Asia, the variant that usually occurs primarily affects the kidneys and has a lower mortality rate. The variant likely found on the MV Hondius is more dangerous and can cause severe lung infections. Human-to-human transmission is rare, but cannot be ruled out. There is no specific treatment, although early medical care can significantly increase the chances of survival.
The cruise ship MV Hondius © PHOTO AFP
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