The World Health Organization (WHO) has issued an alert following a cluster of severe respiratory illnesses, including two confirmed cases of hantavirus and three fatalities, aboard a cruise ship traversing the South Atlantic.
The outbreak, first reported on May 2, 2026, has prompted a coordinated international public health response to contain the rare but deadly disease.
Situation Overview
The Dutch-flagged vessel, carrying 147 passengers and crew of 23 nationalities, reported the cluster of illnesses to the WHO.
As of May 4, 2026, seven cases have been identified two laboratory- confirmed hantavirus infections and five suspected cases.
Tragically, three individuals have died, one patient remains critically ill in intensive care, and three others are experiencing mild symptoms.
The illness, characterized by fever, gastrointestinal issues, and rapid progression to pneumonia, acute respiratory distress syndrome, and shock, had an onset period between April 6 and April 28, 2026.
The cruise ship departed Ushuaia, Argentina, on April 1, 2026, embarking on an itinerary that included stops in remote and ecologically diverse regions such as mainland Antarctica, South Georgia, Nightingale Island, Tristan da Cunha, Saint Helena, and Ascension Island.
The exact source of exposure remains under investigation, with authorities exploring potential contact with local wildlife either during the voyage or prior to boarding in Argentina.
The vessel is currently moored off the coast of Cabo Verde, where medical teams are evaluating remaining suspected cases.
• Case 1: An adult male developed symptoms on April 6, 2026, and rapidly deteriorated, dying on board on April 11. No microbiological tests were performed at the time.
• Case 2: An adult female, a close contact of Case 1, developed gastrointestinal
symptoms and died on April 26, after medical evacuation to South Africa. Hantavirus infection was confirmed by PCR on May 4, 2026. Contact tracing for flight passengers is underway.
• Case 3: An adult male presented with febrile illness and pneumonia on April 24, 2026. He was medically evacuated to South Africa and is currently in ICU, with hantavirus infection confirmed by PCR on May 2, 2026.
Coordinated Public Health Response
Authorities from Cabo Verde, the Netherlands, Spain, South Africa, and the United Kingdom are engaged in a multi- national response.
Key actions include:
• Timely information sharing and coordination among National International Health Regulations (IHR) Focal Points.
• Ongoing epidemiological investigations to determine the source of exposure.
• Sharing passenger and crew lists with respective countries for contact tracing.
• Support for clinical management and medical evacuation of symptomatic passengers.
Understanding Hantavirus
Hantavirus cardiopulmonary syndrome (HCPS), or hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS), is a zoonotic viral respiratory disease caused by hantaviruses from the Orthohantavirus
genus.
It is primarily transmitted to humans through contact with the urine, feces, or saliva of infected rodents, or by touching contaminated surfaces. While rare, it can be deadly.
Although uncommon, limited human-to -human transmission has been reported in previous outbreaks of Andes virus, a
specific species of hantavirus.
WHO Risk Assessment
The WHO currently assesses the risk to the global population from this event as low, while the health body continues to monitor the epidemiological situation and will update its risk assessment as new information becomes available.