3 patients with suspected hantavirus evacuated from cruise ship as new case confirmed in Switzerland

On Wednesday, three patients suspected of having hantavirus were evacuated from a cruise ship to the Netherlands, according to the UN health agency. The ship, which is linked to a serious outbreak, is currently anchored off Cape Verde, with nearly 150 people on board waiting to travel to Spain’s Canary Islands. Footage from the Associated Press showed health workers dressed in protective gear approaching the ship for the evacuation. This included the ship's Dutch doctor, who was reported to be in “serious condition” but has since improved, as stated by Spain’s health ministry. An air ambulance was dispatched later. The World Health Organization reported that three individuals have died, and one body is still on the ship. In total, eight cases of the virus have been identified, with three confirmed through laboratory tests. Authorities are conducting contact tracing across Europe and Africa to find others who may have been infected by those who left the ship earlier. The vessel set sail over a month ago from South America, making stops in Antarctica and various remote Atlantic islands. Hantavirus is typically transmitted through inhaling droppings from infected rodents, and it can occasionally spread between people, although the WHO notes that this is uncommon. The Dutch foreign ministry confirmed that the three individuals being evacuated include a 41-year-old Dutch citizen, a 56-year-old British citizen, and a 65-year-old German citizen. They will be “immediately transferred to specialized hospitals in Europe.” A hospital in the Netherlands confirmed it would accept one patient, while German officials are ready for another. According to Dutch ship operator Oceanwide Expeditions, two patients are still in serious condition, while the third has no symptoms but is closely linked to a German passenger who passed away on the MV Hondius ship on May 2. Spanish officials reported that the remaining passengers and crew on the ship are symptom-free. The journey to the Canary Islands is expected to take three to four days, and Spain’s health ministry assured that their arrival “won’t represent any risk for the public.” Meanwhile, health authorities in Switzerland and South Africa announced that three individuals had tested positive for the Andes strain of hantavirus, which is primarily found in South America, especially in Argentina and Chile. Although it can spread between people, this is considered rare and usually requires close contact. The ship has been at sea for more than a month.