Hantavirus outbreak on cruise ship prompts WHO to issue evacuation orders
The Hantavirus outbreak on a Dutch cruise ship has now pushed the WHO to issue evacuation orders.
The UN health agency said on Tuesday, May 5, it issued evacuation orders for two passengers onboard MD Hondius ship, fearing human-to-human transmission can’t be ruled out.
To facilitate the evacuation of two individuals, WHO medics would board the vessel.
In a latest update, Dr. Maria Van Kerkhove, WHO director for Epidemic and Pandemic Preparedness and Prevention, briefed the media on the hantavirus outbreak.
She said, “We do know that some of the cases had very close contact with each other and certainly human-to-human transmission can’t be ruled out so as a precaution this is what we are assuming.”
The Hantavirus has so far claimed three lives, with several others falling ill.
Among the deceased are a Dutch couple and a German national, while one British national is said to be still in intensive care in South Africa.
There are 150 people, including 17 U.S. nationals, who remain stuck on the MV Hondius that is sailing off the coast of West Africa.
The outbreak was first reported on the Netherlands based cruise MV Hondius, which was sailing between Argentina and Cape Verde on Sunday, May 3, 2026.
Earlier on Tuesday, May 4, a WHO official had said, “There was no need for panic and the risk to the public was low.”
