The operator of the Dutch cruise ship MV Hondius confirmed a Dutch couple and a German national died after a hantavirus outbreak, while the WHO warned the virus may have spread between passengers.

Three dead as outbreak unfolds at sea

A Dutch husband and wife and a German national have died following a hantavirus outbreak aboard the MV Hondius, the ship's operator Oceanwide Expeditions said. The cause of death had not yet been formally established, the company said, but the deaths prompted the World Health Organization to confirm two cases of hantavirus infection, with five more suspected cases under investigation.

The WHO said hantavirus may have spread between passengers — an unusual development for a virus that rarely transmits between humans. The agency assessed the risk to the general public as "low".

Ship's movements and evacuations

The MV Hondius was carrying nearly 150 people when it found itself waiting for assistance off the coast of Cape Verde in the Atlantic. Three passengers — a British, German, and Dutch national — were subsequently evacuated and transferred to the Netherlands after displaying symptoms aboard the vessel, the Dutch foreign ministry confirmed.

The ship later made a stop at St. Helena, a remote British territory, where approximately 40 passengers disembarked on April 24, Oceanwide Expeditions said. Among those who left was the wife of a Dutch man who died, the Dutch foreign ministry said. A 69-year-old woman who later died in South Africa was also among those who disembarked at St. Helena.

Argentina separately began investigating a link to the outbreak, as three deaths were reported with a connection to South America.

Port denials and a Spanish concession

The Canary Islands initially refused to allow the MV Hondius to dock. Spain's health ministry later agreed to permit the vessel to arrive, estimating it would reach port within three to four days. Residents in Tenerife expressed concern about the ship's arrival.

Two crew members on board were reported to require urgent care at the time Spain granted docking permission.

WHO rules out pandemic risk

The World Health Organization said the outbreak does not place it in the same situation as with Covid-19, because hantavirus spreads differently — primarily through exposure to urine, saliva, or feces from infected rodents such as rats or mice. Hantavirus infections are rare but can cause deadly respiratory illness.

The European Union said it was closely monitoring the situation aboard the vessel.