Buenos Aires, May 7: The outbreak of the deadly hantavirus infection aboard the luxury cruise ship MV Hondius has raised international alarm. Investigative agencies are working to determine whether this outbreak originated in Argentina, where the Antarctic journey began.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has long identified Argentina as one of the countries in Latin America with the highest cases of hantavirus infection. According to the Argentine Ministry of Health, there have been 101 reported infections in the country since June 2025, nearly double the number from the previous year.
Experts indicate that the “Andes virus,” found in South America, causes a severe lung disease known as “hantavirus pulmonary syndrome.” This illness can be fatal in many cases. The Argentine Ministry of Health reported that nearly one-third of infected patients have died in the past year.
Authorities have confirmed that several passengers on the cruise ship tested positive for the Andes virus. So far, three passengers have died, while one individual is in the intensive care unit (ICU) in a South African hospital. Three other passengers were evacuated from the ship for treatment. Additionally, a passenger who disembarked early during the trip has tested positive for the virus in Switzerland.
In light of the severity of the situation, Argentina has decided to send genetic material and testing equipment to Spain, Senegal, South Africa, the Netherlands, and the United States to help identify potentially infected passengers.
Hantavirus primarily spreads through contact with the urine, saliva, or feces of infected rodents. Typically, it does not spread between humans, but some older outbreaks of the Andes virus have shown limited human-to-human transmission.
Initial symptoms of the infection may resemble those of the common flu—fever, body aches, headaches, and fatigue. Subsequently, it can rapidly affect the lungs, causing severe breathing difficulties.
Meanwhile, concern is growing for the 23 passengers who disembarked from the ship on April 23 at Saint Helena Island. According to the Spanish newspaper El País, there has been no contact with them for several days, raising fears of further spread.
Reports indicate that these individuals have returned to their respective countries, including the United States. The New York Times reported on Wednesday that American passengers in Georgia, California, and Arizona are being monitored, although none have shown symptoms of the illness.
The WHO stated that the first death on the cruise ship occurred on April 11, involving a 70-year-old Dutch man. Nearly two weeks later, his body was removed from the ship at Saint Helena. His 69-year-old wife was traveling from Saint Helena to South Africa; she collapsed at Johannesburg Airport and died in a hospital on April 26. The third passenger, a German woman, passed away on May 2.
–
Leave a Comment