Hantavirus outbreak linked to cruise ship MV Hondius

An outbreak of hantavirus has been identified aboard the cruise ship MV Hondius, which departed from Ushuaia, Argentina, on April 1. Three individuals—a Dutch couple and a German national—have died, while four other confirmed cases are currently receiving medical treatment in the Netherlands, South Africa, and Switzerland. A new suspected case was identified on April 26 involving a British national on Tristan da Cunha, where the vessel docked on April 15. Argentine health authorities are tracing the movements of the Dutch couple who traveled through Argentina, Chile, and Uruguay, though they state there is no confirmation the infection originated in Argentina. The Tierra del Fuego province in Argentina reports no hantavirus cases since 1996. The World Health Organization maintains that the global public health risk remains low. Dutch health officials confirmed that contacts of a deceased passenger tested negative, while investigation into the cruise ship contacts continues.