WHO Declares End to Rare Hantavirus Outbreak Aboard Cruise Ship
World
The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared the official end of the rare hantavirus strain outbreak detected aboard the cruise ship MV Hondius. The organization's Director-General, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, stated that the final monitored passenger who had been in contact with infected individuals successfully completed the mandatory isolation period, tested negative for the pathogen, and returned to their permanent residence. According to official epidemiological data, no new cases of infection have been registered on the vessel since May 25.
The perilous sanitary situation unfolded during an oceanic voyage of the MV Hondius, which departed from an Argentine port on April 1 carrying 147 passengers and crew members representing 23 nations. The source of the infection was an elderly married couple who, prior to boarding the cruise, had traveled through Argentina, Chile, and Uruguay on a birdwatching tour, where their itinerary crossed paths with the natural habitats of wild rodents carrying the virus. The husband manifested the first symptoms of malaise on April 6 and subsequently passed away directly on board. His wife also contracted the illness and died later, following an emergency medical evacuation to the Republic of South Africa.
To contain the biological threat, the liner docked in Tenerife, Spain, on May 10, where local authorities and medical services promptly evacuated, isolated, and later repatriated the bulk of the passengers and crew. According to final WHO assessments, the total number of confirmed infection cases within this outbreak reached 13 individuals, three of whom succumbed to the disease. Laboratory investigations revealed that the fatalities were caused by the "Andes" virus—a highly dangerous and rare strain of hantavirus that necessitates strict isolation of contact persons. At present, the threat has been entirely neutralized.
To contain the biological threat, the liner docked in Tenerife, Spain, on May 10, where local authorities and medical services promptly evacuated, isolated, and later repatriated the bulk of the passengers and crew. According to final WHO assessments, the total number of confirmed infection cases within this outbreak reached 13 individuals, three of whom succumbed to the disease. Laboratory investigations revealed that the fatalities were caused by the "Andes" virus—a highly dangerous and rare strain of hantavirus that necessitates strict isolation of contact persons. At present, the threat has been entirely neutralized.
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