British man among three patients evacuated from hantavirus-stricken cruise ship

WorldHealth & Fitness
6 May 2026 • 6:46 PM MYT
The Independent
The Independent

The world’s most free-thinking newspaper

British man among three patients evacuated from hantavirus-stricken cruise ship

  • Three patients, including a 56-year-old British man, have been medically evacuated from the MV Hondius cruise ship for specialist treatment in Europe.
  • Eight suspected cases of hantavirus, resulting in three deaths, have been linked to the Dutch-flagged vessel, which is currently sitting off the coast of Cape Verde.
  • South African health authorities confirmed two passengers tested positive for the Andes strain of the virus, which is known to be transmittable between humans.
  • The ship was blocked from docking in Tenerife by the Canary Islands leader due to public safety concerns.
  • Global health authorities acknowledge potential human-to-human transmission on board but maintain the overall risk to global health is low.