Two Indian crew members are among 149 people on board the Dutch expedition vessel MV Hondius, which is stranded in the Atlantic near Cape Verde after a Hantavirus outbreak left three passengers dead and several others infected. The ship is now sailing towards Tenerife, while authorities and the operator coordinate screening, quarantine and medical follow-up.
According to Oceanwide Expeditions, the situation is under control and the affected individuals are already receiving treatment. The company said the ship left Cape Verde on May 6 and is expected to reach Tenerife in the Canary Islands in three to four days, with no symptomatic passengers left on board.
The health status of the two Indian crew members has not been disclosed. The vessel’s 149 occupants represent 23 nationalities, including people from the UK, US, Germany and Spain.
Hantavirus is generally spread by contact with infected rodents or their bodily fluids, and the strain linked to this incident is believed to be the Andes virus, which can in rare cases spread between humans through close contact. The virus can cause severe respiratory illness, and treatment is mainly supportive because there is no specific cure.
Hantavirus is a rare virus most often transmitted by rodents through urine, saliva or droppings. Symptoms can include fever, chills, muscle aches, headache, nausea and breathing difficulty, and severe cases may require intensive medical care.