Rare hantavirus human-to-human transmission suspected on luxury cruise ship where 3 have died

Rare human-to-human transmission of the hantavirus whitethorn person happened aboard a cruise vessel of astir 150 passengers, the World Health Organization (WHO) said Tuesday, aft 3 passengers died and astatine slightest 4 others were near sickened.

The U.N. wellness bureau said it is inactive investigating the outbreak aboard the Dutch vas MV Hondius arsenic it remains disconnected the seashore of Cape Verde, emphasizing that human-to-human transmission is uncommon and that the hazard to the wider ‌public was low.

"We bash judge that determination whitethorn beryllium immoderate human-to-human transmission that's happening among the truly adjacent ​contacts, the hubby and wife, radical who person shared cabins," Maria Van Kerkhove, the manager of epidemic and pandemic preparedness and prevention astatine the WHO, told reporters successful Geneva.

"Some radical connected the vessel were couples, they were ​sharing rooms truthful that's rather intimate contact," Van Kerkhove said.

CRUISE SHIP OUTBREAK LEAVES 3 DEAD AS OFFICIALS DELAY MEDICAL EVACUATIONS AND PROBE HANTAVIRUS THREAT

The MV Hondius cruise vessel is anchored astatine a larboard successful Praia, Cape Verde, connected May 4, 2026. (Arilson Almeida/AP)

The World Health Organization (WHO) said Monday that 2 cases of hantavirus corruption person been laboratory confirmed, portion 5 further suspected cases are pending. Of the 7 radical affected, 3 person died and 1 is presently successful intensive attraction successful South Africa.

Humans are chiefly infected with hantavirus corruption done interaction with the urine, droppings oregon saliva of infected rodents, according to the U.N. wellness agency, though constricted human-to-human transmission has been reported successful erstwhile outbreaks of the Andes variant of the virus.

Health workers disembark from the Dutch-flagged MV Hondius cruise vessel disconnected Cape Verde connected May 4, 2026, aft 3 passengers died and respective others fell earnestly sick successful a suspected hantavirus outbreak. (Qasem Elhato/AP)

The WHO said it had been told determination were nary rats aboard the cruise vessel, starring to the moving presumption that the deceased Dutch mates was infected successful Argentina earlier boarding.

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The vas was on a weeks-long polar cruise from Argentina to Antarctica and respective isolated islands successful the South Atlantic.

Authorities are moving to find whether the cases are connected and erstwhile those requiring aesculapian attraction volition beryllium allowed to disembark.

The Dutch-flagged MV Hondius cruise vessel remains disconnected Cape Verde connected May 4, 2026, aft 3 passengers died and respective others fell earnestly sick successful a suspected hantavirus outbreak. (Qasem Elhato/AP)

The WHO said Monday that passengers were asked to enactment successful their cabins and "limit their hazard portion disinfection and different measures are being taken."

Van Kerkhove told reporters that the program for present is for the vessel "to proceed connected to the Canary Islands."

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"We’re moving with Spanish authorities, who volition invited the ship," Van Kerkhove said.

Fox News Digital’s Greg Wehner, on with The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report.