Source: Radio New Zealand
A general view of the cruise ship MV Hondius stationary off the port of Praia, the capital of Cape Verde, on May 3, 2026. AFP
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade says it’s aware of a New Zealander onboard the MV Hondius cruise ship, which is experiencing a suspected deadly hantavirus outbreak.
A ministry spokesperson says it’s in contact with the New Zealander, who hasn’t requested consular assistance.
The ship, which was travelling from Argentina to the Canary Islands, is currently anchored off the coast of Cape Verde.
The Dutch cruise company, Oceanwide Expeditions, says the number of confirmed hantavirus cases connected to the outbreak onboard has risen to two.
Hantavirus tended to be spread by rodents and New Zealand microbiologist Siouxsie Wiles said it was not expected on a cruise ship.
In a statement, Oceanwide Expeditions said two MV Hondius crew members, one British and one Dutch, continued to present with acute respiratory symptoms and required urgent medical attention.
One had mild symptoms, the other had severe, it said, without specifying further.
“At this time, no other persons with symptoms have been identified,” the company said.
“Dutch authorities are actively preparing a medical evacuation of the two symptomatic individuals along with an individual associated with [a German guest] that passed away on May 2,” Oceanwide Expeditions said.
It would include two specialised medical aircraft but the timing of the evacuation had not yet been confirmed, it said.
The first identified case was confirmed in a British national who the company said remained in a critical but stable condition in South Africa.
The ship was at its highest health response level with isolation measures, hygiene protocols and monitoring in place, the statement said.
The company said the World Health Organisation has confirmed hantavirus was also present in a Dutch woman who died in Saint Helena.
Her husband, a Dutch national as well, died onboard on 11 April.
She was accompanying his repatriation back to the Netherlands when she also fell ill during the return journey and later died.
Her husband’s cause of death and that of the German national were not yet known.
Oceanwide Expeditions said a definitive disembarkation point for the 149 passengers still onboard had not yet been finalised.
“The atmosphere on board MV Hondius remains calm, with passengers generally composed. Oceanwide Expeditions is working to provide clarity and reassurance to guests,” it said.
The company said it was in close contact with those directly involved and their families.
Timeline provided by Ocean Expeditions:
- On 11 April, a passenger died on board. The cause of death could not be determined on board.
- On 24 April, this passenger was disembarked on St Helena, with his wife accompanying the repatriation.
- On 27 April, Oceanwide Expeditions was informed that the wife had become unwell during the return journey and had later died. Both passengers were Dutch nationals.
- On 27 April, another passenger became seriously ill and was medically evacuated to South Africa. This British national was currently being treated in the intensive care unit in Johannesburg in a critical but stable condition. A variant of hantavirus had been identified in this patient.
- On 2 May, another passenger on board died. The cause has not yet been established. This passenger was of German nationality.
- On 4 May, a variant of hantavirus was identified as being present in the Dutch woman who died in Saint Helena.
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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand