New Delhi: Two Indian nationals are among the crew members aboard the Dutch expedition vessel MV Hondius, where a hantavirus outbreak has resulted in multiple infections and three reported deaths, international media reports said.
The ship, operated by Oceanwide Expeditions, departed from Ushuaia in Argentina on April 1 and is scheduled to reach Spain’s Canary Islands on May 10. Around 150 passengers and crew representing 28 countries were originally on the voyage.
According to reports, several passengers disembarked at St Helena, a British Overseas Territory in the South Atlantic, on April 24 as health concerns onboard intensified.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) confirmed that five out of eight suspected hantavirus infections linked to the vessel have tested positive. Among the fatalities are a 69-year-old Dutch woman who was confirmed to be infected, her husband, and a German national. Investigations into the deaths are still underway.
Reports indicate that the people onboard include 38 individuals from the Philippines, 31 from the United Kingdom, 23 from the United States, 16 from the Netherlands, 14 from Spain, nine from Germany, six from Canada, and two crew members from India.
WHO officials stressed that the incident does not indicate the emergence of a new global pandemic. Speaking during a media briefing, WHO infectious disease expert Maria Van Kerkhove said hantavirus spreads very differently from illnesses such as Covid-19 or influenza.
She explained that transmission requires close personal contact and noted that precautionary measures, including mask use onboard, had been recommended. Additional protective equipment has also been advised for those caring for infected or suspected patients.
Traditionally, hantavirus infections are associated with exposure to rodents or contaminated environments. However, health authorities noted that the current situation aboard the vessel includes documented human-to-human transmission, an uncommon development that has prompted increased monitoring.
Authorities are now tracing passengers who recently left the ship. Oceanwide Expeditions stated that 29 passengers from at least 12 countries disembarked at St Helena, including seven British nationals. The company also confirmed that the body of one deceased Dutch passenger was removed from the vessel during the stopover.
Health agencies continue to monitor the situation as the ship proceeds toward its final destination.
