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By Aliss Higham
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Morale has improved on the MV Hondius, the cruise liner that has been hit with an outbreak of hantavirus, a rare but potentially deadly virus carried by rodents that can cause severe respiratory illness in humans, World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said.
The WHO chief said the ship is now sailing to the Canary Islands after being stuck off the coast of Cape Verde for several days, and that he is in touch with the captain.
“He told me morale has improved significantly since the ship started moving again," he said. "I thank him for everything he has done to protect those under his duty of care.”
Ghebreyesus says that the outbreak is "serious," but the public health risk is "low," and that that more cases could emerge as the incubation period lasts up to six weeks.
“WHO is aware of reports of other people with symptoms who may have had contact with one of the passengers. In each case, we are in close contact with the relevant authorities," he said. Given the incubation period of the Andes virus, which can be up to six weeks, it’s possible that more cases may be reported.”
He added that none of the remaining passengers or crew aboard the ship are currently symptomatic, and that the cabins are being disinfected. He also confirmed the body of one woman who died remains on the ship.
What To Know
Passengers aboard the MV Hondius have described a mix of calm, uncertainty and frustration as a hantavirus outbreak disrupted their Atlantic voyage.
The 170-berth ship, which departed from southern Argentina with the intention of crossing the Atlantic and finishing in the Canary Islands, instead spent days stalled off the coast of Cape Verde after being denied permission to dock following an outbreak of hantavirus.
For those on board, what was meant to be a remote wildlife expedition to see some of the most far-flung places on earth has instead become an unfolding health emergency that has made headlines around the world.
There have been five confirmed cases of hantavirus in passengers who boarded the Hondius, according to the latest update from WHO. Three passengers have died, although hantavirus has not been officially established as the cause of death for all of them.
The operator of the cruise, Oceanwide Expeditions, has said the atmosphere onboard "remains calm, with passengers generally composed" and that it is closely cooperating with relevant authorities.
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Voyage Interrupted
Travel influencer Kasem Hato, who is on board the vessel, recalled in a video posted online how the journey started.
"Our journey on the ship started from the south of Argentina and the plan was to cross the Atlantic, passing at some isolated islands to see the nature and wildlife and to conclude our journey in the country of the Cape Verde," he said, according to a translation by the BBC.
But the mood changed when the first passenger became ill. The ship made a stop at Ascension Island in the Atlantic to evacuate them. As the voyage continued, more passengers began to show symptoms.
The WHO has since reported eight cases of hantavirus linked to the ship. The latest confirmed case involves a Swiss national who sought treatment in Zurich after leaving the vessel, though his condition remains unknown.
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Health officials said two of the confirmed cases involve the Andes strain of the virus, a rare variant capable of human-to-human transmission. While hantaviruses are typically spread through contact with infected rodents, the Andes strain has been linked to limited person-to-person spread, usually requiring close and prolonged contact. The virus is primarily found in parts of South America, including Argentina and Chile. The voyage began in Ushuaia, Argentina, on April 1.
Who Is On Board?
Before the most recent evacuations, 149 people were on board, including 88 passengers and 61 crew members. Among them are 17 U.S. nationals.
Hato described a largely composed atmosphere among those still at sea. "Most people on the ship have responded to the issue very calmly," he said, adding that many believe "the possibility of becoming infected by this virus is very small."
He also shared that it is "believed that the first person who died on the boat is the person who brought this virus onto the boat, and in one way or another, spread the infection to some of the other people on the ship".
"Ultimately, this virus is not a new virus to the world," Hato added. "If it was going to be a pandemic, it would have already happened a long time ago."
Travel influencer Jake Rosmarin described an environment where passengers are being cared for but are struggling with the unknown.
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“Other than the two ill passengers that have already been referenced in the media, everyone else onboard is doing well and remains in good spirits. We are hopeful that this situation will be resolved soon. Oceanwide Expeditions and the crew have been doing everything within their ability to keep passengers safe, informed, and as comfortable as possible during this time,” he said in a statement emailed to Newsweek on May 5.
"There's a lot of uncertainty and that's the hardest part," he said in a video posted on Instagram earlier this week. "All we want right now is to feel safe, to have clarity, and to get home. So if you're seeing coverage about this, just remember there are real people behind it, and that this isn't something happening somewhere far away. It's happening to us right now."
Deaths on Board
The first fatality associated with the Hondius is Dutch man died on board on April 11. His wife later fell ill and died while being repatriated to the Netherlands. While her infection with hantavirus has been confirmed, the cause of her husband’s death has not been established.
A second death occurred on May 2, when a German national died aboard the ship. The cause remains unclear.
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Another confirmed hantavirus case involves a British passenger who is currently receiving treatment in South Africa and is described as being in a "critical but stable condition." Three people evacuated today are not yet confirmed to have hantavirus.
For some, these developments have raised concerns about how much information passengers were given early on. Turkish YouTuber Ruhi Çenet, who had been onboard for several weeks but left after the first death, said he initially believed the fatality was due to other reasons.
"When one of the passengers died during their month-long journey on the expedition vessel, I honestly thought it was because of the rough ocean conditions," he said in a video posted online. "But it turns out the situation is much worse than we were told."
Çenet also shared footage of a crew announcement informing passengers that one individual had "sadly passed away last night," while reassuring those onboard that the “ship is safe” in terms of infections.
In response to the video, Oceanwide Expeditions said: "The video contains the onboard announcement to guests about the passing of a Dutch national on board MV Hondius on 11 April 2026.
"This onboard announcement was made on 12 April 2026. On this date, the cause of death of this individual was unknown.
"No other symptomatic individuals were present on board. At the time of the announcement, no evidence of a virus or contagion was present on the vessel.
"The case was believed to be isolated following medical review. Proper procedure was followed in informing all guests and crew aboard MV Hondius. Health and safety and maritime standards regarding the proper management and reporting of a death while at sea were followed."
Where Is the Cruise Ship Docking?
The ship is now sailing, bound for the Canary Islands, where it is hoped the remaining passengers can disembark. Officials there have resisted decisions being made centrally in Madrid, citing concerns about the potential risk to residents.
Hondius Timeline
- April 1: The MV Hondius departs Ushuaia, Argentina, setting course across the South Atlantic Ocean.
- April 11: A Dutch passenger dies on board the vessel, marking the first fatality.
- April 24: The widow of the deceased is flown from island of St. Helena to Johannesburg alongside her husband’s body.
- April 25: The woman’s condition worsens during transit and she is admitted to hospital upon arrival.
- April 26: She dies in hospital. Authorities later confirm she had contracted hantavirus.
- April 27: A second ill passenger, a British national, is evacuated to South Africa and remains in hospital in a critical but stable condition with a confirmed case of hantavirus.
- May 2: A German passenger dies while still on the ship, though it is not yet confirmed whether they were infected with the virus.
- May 3: The vessel arrives off Cape Verde, but is not permitted to dock.
- May 5: Healthcare workers board the ship off the coast of Cape Verde.
- May 6: WHO reports a third confirmed case of hantavirus of a disembarked passenger, who reported to a hospital in Zurich. Ill passengers have now disembarked the vessel.
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