Two Suspected Hantavirus Cases Emerge in Spain and Remote Tristan da Cunha

Health authorities are on high alert as two suspected cases of hantavirus have emerged far from the luxury cruise ship where the outbreak originated. These cases involve a man who fell ill after disembarking and a woman who developed symptoms after sitting near an infected passenger on a flight.

The incidents, reported thousands of miles apart—one in Spain and the other on the isolated South Atlantic island of Tristan da Cunha—are distinct from the World Health Organization’s (WHO) count of eight individuals who became ill aboard the Dutch-flagged MV Hondius. Of those, three have died, and six have been confirmed as having hantavirus, a disease primarily transmitted by rodents.

Cruise Ship Outbreak Details

The Hondius was carrying 147 passengers and crew when a cluster of severe respiratory illnesses was first reported to the WHO on Sunday. By that time, 34 passengers had already left the vessel, which had embarked from Argentina in March, making stops in the Antarctic before heading north towards Cape Verde.

The ship was briefly held in Cape Verde after news of the outbreak surfaced. Four patients remain hospitalized in South Africa, the Netherlands, and Switzerland. Oceanwide, the cruise operator, confirmed that there are no remaining individuals exhibiting symptoms of potential infection on board.

As the Hondius continues its journey to Tenerife in the Canary Islands, it is expected to dock early Sunday. Passengers and crew will undergo screening before disembarking, following guidelines that are still being finalized by the WHO and other health agencies. Oceanwide reported that 17 U.S. citizens were among those on board.

Health officials are coordinating the return of passengers to the United States, where they will be transported on a “medical repatriation flight” to Omaha, Nebraska, for quarantine at the University of Nebraska, as stated by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

New Cases Raise Concerns

In Spain, a 32-year-old woman from Alicante has been diagnosed with symptoms consistent with hantavirus infection and is currently undergoing testing. She had been seated two rows behind a Dutch woman who had contracted the virus aboard the Hondius. This Dutch passenger fell ill during a flight to Johannesburg on April 25 and later died in a hospital.

Additionally, a British man on Tristan da Cunha is suspected of having the disease. The Health Security Agency of the UK confirmed that he was a passenger on the Hondius during its visit to the island from April 13 to April 15.

The three fatalities linked to the outbreak include a Dutch couple and a German national. Four other confirmed cases—two Britons, a Dutch individual, and a Swiss national—are still receiving treatment in hospitals across the Netherlands, South Africa, and Switzerland.

Risk Assessment and Public Health Response

WHO officials have sought to reassure the public regarding the outbreak, stating that the risk to the general population remains low. Anais Legand, a WHO technical officer for viral threats, emphasized that the dynamics of the outbreak indicate limited transmission among those on the ship and those who have disembarked.

Testing has confirmed that the outbreak aboard the Hondius involves the Andes virus, the only hantavirus species known to have limited human-to-human transmission under close and prolonged contact. The WHO has reported that fatality rates among infected individuals in the United States can reach up to 50 percent.

The CDC has classified the hantavirus outbreak as a “level 3” emergency response, the lowest level of emergency activation. While experts have noted the low probability of widespread contagion, authorities are urging anyone who has been in contact with passengers from the Hondius to monitor for potential symptoms.

Tristan da Cunha, home to approximately 200 residents, is the world’s most remote inhabited island, located over 2,400 kilometers from its nearest neighbor, St Helena. The case of the British passenger illustrates the potential for infectious diseases to spread rapidly in the age of modern travel.

The Spanish woman exhibiting mild respiratory symptoms has been hospitalized for testing, according to a statement from the regional health department. Health officials continue to monitor the situation closely as they work to contain the outbreak.

As reported by www.arnnewscentre.ae.

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Published on 2026-05-09 10:08:00 • By FAME Delivered News Desk