WHO investigates hantavirus cases linked to cruise ship voyage in the Atlantic

Mon, 04 May 2026 02:31:00 +0200

A suspected hantavirus outbreak aboard a cruise ship traveling in the Atlantic Ocean has resulted in three deaths and several serious illnesses, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). The situation is currently under investigation, with at least one confirmed case of the virus. Health authorities are working to determine the extent of the outbreak and to identify how the infection spread among passengers.

One of the infected individuals is receiving intensive care treatment in a South African hospital, while efforts are underway to evacuate two additional symptomatic passengers from the vessel for medical care. The WHO stated that detailed laboratory and epidemiological investigations are ongoing, including genetic sequencing of the virus. Medical teams are also providing care and monitoring to passengers and crew still onboard.

Hantavirus is typically transmitted through exposure to rodent urine, droppings, or saliva, though rare cases of person-to-person transmission hav