Hantavirus outbreak reported on board cruise ship MV Hondius

A hantavirus outbreak has occurred on the cruise ship MV Hondius, which is currently moored off the coast of Cape Verde. The vessel carries 149 people from 23 different countries. According to the World Health Organization, there are seven total cases, consisting of two confirmed and five suspected infections. Three passengers have died, including a Dutch couple and a German national, while a 69-year-old British passenger remains in intensive care in South Africa. WHO officials suspect that initial infections were contracted before boarding, but believe rare human-to-human transmission may have occurred among close contacts on the ship. The operator, Oceanwide Expeditions, is coordinating with authorities for medical evacuations and plans to move the ship to the Canary Islands. The risk to the general public remains low as the virus typically spreads through contact with rodents.