The World Health Organization (WHO) announced that three people have died on the cruise ship MV Hondius in the Atlantic Ocean.
One case of Hantavirus has been definitively confirmed, and five other suspected cases have been identified. The ship was traveling from the city of Ushuaia in Argentina to Cape Verde in Central Africa.
Of the six infected individuals, three have died, and another is hospitalized in the intensive care unit at a hospital in Johannesburg, South Africa.
Hantavirus is usually transmitted through contact with the urine, feces, or saliva of rodents, although limited human-to-human transmission is also possible.
The first patient was a 70-year-old man who died on the ship. His 69-year-old wife also died after being transferred to South Africa. The third victim is a 69-year-old British citizen receiving treatment at a Johannesburg hospital.
Tedros Adhanom, Director-General of the World Health Organization, stated that the organization is coordinating medical evacuation for the patients, assessing the risk, and supporting passengers.
The Hondius is owned by a Dutch company and carries approximately 170 passengers and 70 crew members. Investigations to identify the possible source of the virus and control the outbreak are ongoing.
Writer:Salima Hakimi
