Health officials have evacuated three patients infected with hantavirus from a Dutch-flagged cruise ship, while the remaining passengers remain quarantined onboard. Latest reports indicate new infections have been found in several countries.
The World Health Organization (WHO) revealed that all three patients were repatriated to the Netherlands for treatment, while nearly 150 passengers and crew remain confined to their cabins aboard the ship to control the outbreak.
Meanwhile, Swiss authorities confirmed a new infection in a man returning from South America who had been aboard the same ship. Health officials in South Africa and Switzerland reported detecting the "Andes" strain of hantavirus, found in South America, which can be transmitted between humans in some rare cases.
Reports stated that one severely ill patient is a British man currently in intensive care in a South African hospital, while another deceased individual was found to have been infected post-mortem.
The MV Hondius cruise ship departed Argentina on 1 Apr 2024 GMT+7, originally scheduled to pass through Antarctica, the Falkland Islands, and other Atlantic Ocean destinations, but had to alter its itinerary following the onboard outbreak.
Most recently, the Spanish government confirmed it would allow the ship to dock at the Canary Islands to implement public health measures and care for passengers, despite opposition from some local groups.
,AP
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