Oceanwide Expeditions is cautiously releasing more details of the timeline of the medical emergency currently evolving onboard MV Hondius, where multiple guests have died and another is confirmed infected with hantavirus.

Cruise Hive initially reported on the situation and the World Health Organization’s response to the outbreak, which began as the expedition vessel was repositioning from her Antarctic season to the Arctic.

Now, the cruise line has clarified more of an exact timeline for the outbreak, including select details of those involved.

The situation began with a male guest’s sudden death on Saturday, April 11, though the cause of death was not able to be determined at that time. The deceased guest and his wife were debarked on St. Helena, a small island in the South Atlantic, roughly 1,170 miles off the coast of Africa.

The wife fell ill and later died. There has not yet been any confirmation about the cause of their deaths or whether they are related to the hantavirus outbreak onboard the ship. Both guests were Dutch nationals.

On Monday, April 27, another guest onboard Hondius became seriously ill and required emergency medical evacuation to Johannesburg, South Africa. The guest, who is a British national, is reportedly in critical but stable condition but has been confirmed infected with hantavirus.

A third guest, this one a German citizen, died onboard the ship on Saturday, May 2. The cause of death has not yet been determined.

Two crew members currently onboard the ship are reportedly ill with respiratory symptoms, though the cruise line has not indicated whether these symptoms are consistent with hantavirus. One is a British national, the other is a Dutch national.

“Hantavirus has not currently been confirmed in the two persons still on board who require medical care. Nor has it been established that the virus is connected to the three deaths associated with this voyage,” the cruise line explained.

“The exact cause and any possible connection are being investigated. Therefore, the only confirmed case of hantavirus is the passenger who was medically evacuated and is now being treated in Johannesburg.”

No further identifying details about those impacted have been released, as is standard to safeguard individuals’ privacy.

Onboard, various outbreak precautions are in place, including isolation measures for those exhibiting any symptoms as well as enhanced hygiene throughout the ship. Guests are being kept informed of the situation as new information becomes available.

When Will Guests Debark the Ship?

At the moment, Hondius is off the coast of Cape Verde and is unable to disembark guests without clearance from the authorities. There are 149 people onboard the ship, including 19 British nationals, 17 US citizens, 13 Spanish nationals, and others from a variety of countries, including Canada, Australia, Japan, the Netherlands, and Argentina.

Of those onboard, 61 are crew members, 38 of whom are Philippine nationals.

All cruise ships must abide by local restrictions for debarkation clearance, and medical concerns are always a factor. Strict protocols are in place to prevent the transmission of any contagious diseases, which can delay when a ship is able to debark.

Oceanwide Expeditions is working with local and international authorities, medical oversight organizations, including the World Health Organization, and different embassies to clarify the situation and next steps.

“The option of sailing on to Las Palmas or Tenerife are being considered to be the gateway for disembarkation, where further medical screening and handling could take place,” the cruise line noted, though no plans for this are yet confirmed.

The cruise line is also reaching out to those directly impacted by the situation, including families on land, to provide information and support.

The World Health Organization notes that there are several variations of hantavirus, all of which are carried by rodents and contracted by contact with the urine, feces, or saliva of infected rodents. Different strains of hantavirus have different symptoms and progression in those infected. Human-to-human transmission is rare.

Cruise Hive’s thoughts are with all those onboard during this frightening situation, as well as their loved ones at home who are awaiting new information about the incident.

Any death on a cruise ship is a startling occurrence, but when those deaths are from a relatively rare but very deadly disease, it can raise alarms for even the most conscientious cruiser.

Such alarms are sounding loud and clear following the deaths of three passengers on Oceanwide Expedition’s MV Hondius believed to be caused by a hantavirus infection. Three more guests are ill and may be similarly infected.

Two of the deceased guests are husband and wife, ages 70 and 69, respectively. A third ill passenger is a 69-year-old British national and is in intensive care in a hospital in Johannesburg, South Africa.

None of the identities of those infected have been released. This is standard practice to safeguard the privacy of those impacted by such emergency situations.

The outbreak has been confirmed by the World Health Organization (WHO) with laboratory testing of one deceased guest positive for hantavirus. Additional testing is underway to track the suspected outbreak.

“WHO is aware of and supporting a public health event involving a cruise vessel sailing in the Atlantic Ocean. To date, one case of hantavirus infection has been laboratory confirmed, and there are five additional suspected cases. Of the six affected individuals, three have died and one is currently in intensive care in South Africa,” a statement from the World Health Organization reads.

Hondius is a Polar Class 6 ice-strengthened, expedition vessel and can welcome up to 170 guests. This means even with just six cases, 3.5% of guests onboard are ill, a concerning number for any illness outbreak.

The ship also carries a crew complement of 57, plus 13 guides for its expedition itineraries. One medical doctor is also onboard.

About Hantavirus

Hantavirus is typically contracted from exposure to infected rodent urine or feces. According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the pulmonary type of the virus may not show symptoms for 1-8 weeks after exposure. Fatigue, fever, and muscle aches are the first symptoms, while coughing and shortness of breath develop later.

A faster-acting type of hantavirus is hemorrhagic fever, which typically develops in just 1-2 weeks and includes more severe symptoms, notably intense headaches and blurred vision, followed by internal bleeding and acute kidney failure.

The exact type of hantavirus confirmed for the guests aboard Hondius has not been released. Sequencing of the virus is underway to further determine the strain.

No outbreaks of any type of hantavirus aboard cruise ships have been reported to the CDC in at least the past 30 years, according to archived data. Cruise Hive has reported on various outbreaks of norovirus, e. coli, salmonella, and similar diseases from most cruise lines.

At the time the illness was detected, the ship was sailing from Ushuaia, Argentina to Cape Verde. Satellite tracking confirms that Hondius is now docked in Cape Verde.

The ship appears to have finished her Antarctic season and is scheduled to begin Arctic sailings at the end of May. The current itinerary, which departed Argentina on March 20, may include elements of both polar explorations, a rare and highly desirable expedition sailing, or it may simply be a transatlantic cruise as the ship repositions for the northern summer season.

Should Cruisers Be Concerned About Rare Outbreaks?

By their nature, expedition sailings typically operate in remote regions where there may not be as much port or local infrastructure. This can make it challenging if there is an emergency situation or outbreak of a severe illness onboard.

Oceanwide Expeditions notes that their typical guests range in age from 30 to 80, with the majority from 45 to 65. Older populations can be more vulnerable to respiratory conditions such as hantavirus, and overall health can play a part in how such diseases impact individuals.

There is, however, no restriction on ages or health conditions for guests to set sail on expedition itineraries. The cruise line does explain that mobility can be a concern at many destinations they visit.

“You must be in good overall health and be able to walk several hours per day. The expedition is ship-based and physically not very demanding, but we spend as much time as possible on shore,” the cruise line’s website states.

Typical disease outbreaks on cruise ships tend to be gastrointestinal illnesses with vomiting, diarrhea, and similar symptoms. While gastrointestinal diseases can be severe for very vulnerable guests, rarely do any such outbreaks cause fatalities.