The World Health Organisation (WHO) has stated that the risk of hantavirus to the general public is minimal, following news that a flight attendant who had contact with an infected passenger tested negative. The announcement comes as countries prepare to repatriate passengers from a cruise ship hit by a deadly outbreak.
Hantavirus Outbreak on MV Hondius
Three passengers from the MV Hondius — a Dutch husband and wife and a German woman — have died, while others have fallen ill with the rare disease, which typically spreads among rodents. The Andes virus, the only hantavirus species that can transmit from person to person, has been confirmed among those who tested positive, raising international concern.
The Dutch-flagged vessel, carrying around 150 people, is expected to arrive in the Spanish Canary Island of Tenerife on Sunday. Special flights will then transport passengers to their home countries.
WHO Assessment
WHO spokesman Christian Lindmeier told reporters, "This is a dangerous virus, but only to the person who's really infected, and the risk to the general population remains absolutely low." He noted that even cabin mates of infected individuals often did not contract the virus, indicating it is not highly contagious from person to person.
The WHO has reported five confirmed and three suspected cases of hantavirus. No suspected cases remain on the ship, and an update was expected later Friday.
Flight Attendant Tests Negative
Cruise operator Oceanwide Expeditions said 30 passengers, including the first fatality, disembarked at the remote British island of Saint Helena on April 24. A flight from there to Johannesburg on April 25 triggered contact tracing for that connection and onward travel.
A KLM flight attendant who came into contact with an infected passenger and later showed mild symptoms tested negative for hantavirus, the WHO confirmed. The passenger, the wife of the first person to die, had briefly been on a flight from Johannesburg to the Netherlands but was removed before take-off. She later died in a Johannesburg hospital.
Lindmeier said the negative test was "good news," showing that contact with an infected person does not guarantee transmission. "It's not spreading anything close to how Covid was spreading," he added.
Passenger Reactions
YouTuber Kasem Ibn Hattuta, traveling on the Hondius, said passengers were reassured after doctors joined the ship before sailing to Tenerife. "We finally left Cape Verde, which was a relief for everyone on board," he said, noting that people were wearing masks indoors and maintaining distance.
Repatriation Plans
The MV Hondius has cleared the Mauritanian coast and is heading for the Canary Islands. Spanish authorities said the ship will anchor off Tenerife and will not dock; passengers will be transferred to the airport via smaller vessels. Britain has chartered a repatriation flight for UK passengers and crew, with infection control measures in place.
The ship also called at Tristan da Cunha, one of the world's most isolated settlements, where the UK Health Security Agency reported a suspected case.
