The World Health Organization’s director-general, Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, said the public health risk from a recent hantavirus outbreak linked to a cruise ship remains low. The announcement followed the agency’s first briefing on the event, which involved an expedition vessel quarantined offshore near St. Helena after illness was reported among passengers.
Officials identified eight suspected cases aboard the Dutch-flagged MV Hondius and have confirmed five infections. Three people have died and one patient remains critically ill. Investigations are under way to trace when and where infections occurred and to determine possible routes of transmission as authorities work to reassure travellers; passengers from more than 20 countries were affected by the disruption.
WHO and local authorities said the first infected passenger may have contracted the virus before boarding; that initial illness was reported on April 6. The ship carried 147 passengers and crew from 23 countries. Oceanwide Expeditions, the ship operator, reported that 30 passengers disembarked at St. Helena on April 24—before the outbreak was publicly reported—and two of those who left were Canadian. Global Affairs Canada said none of the Canadians on board were directly affected by the confirmed infections. The MV Hondius is en route to the Canary Islands and is expected to dock in Spain in the coming days.
Hantaviruses are carried by rodents and are typically transmitted to people when virus-containing particles from rodent urine, saliva or droppings become airborne and are inhaled—especially in enclosed spaces. Human infection can cause flu-like early symptoms (fever, fatigue, muscle aches and abdominal discomfort) that may rapidly progress to severe respiratory distress from fluid accumulation in the lungs, and in some cases affect kidney function.
There is no specific antiviral therapy for hantavirus infection; treatment is supportive and focuses on oxygen therapy and fluid management. Recovery is believed to provide long-term immunity. Investigations and contact tracing continue to better understand the outbreak and to limit any further spread.
First published: May 7, 2026.