Cruise Ship Hantavirus Outbreak Off Cape Verde Grows to 7 Cases

May 5, 2026, 12:11 AM UTC

A hantavirus outbreak tied to a cruise ship off Cape Verde has grown to seven cases, including two confirmed infections, the World Health Organization said, with three deaths among those linked to the voyage.

The Dutch-flagged MV Hondius
is carrying 147 passengers and crew from 23 countries.

The cruise ship MV Hondius off the port of Praia, the capital of Cape Verde, on May 3.
Source: AFP/Getty Images

Of the seven cases identified, one British passenger is in intensive care in Johannesburg and was later confirmed to have hantavirus. A Dutch passenger who died after disembarking in the British Overseas Territory of Saint Helena also tested positive. She had left the ship with the remains of her husband, who ...

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