South African authorities have disclosed new details surrounding a rare outbreak of Hantavirus, tracing infections to a cruise ship where the virus is believed to have spread among passengers.
In a presentation delivered to parliament on Wednesday, the country’s health minister confirmed that two individuals were diagnosed with the Andes strain of the virus, one of the few variants known to be capable of human-to-human transmission, after disembarking from the vessel MV Hondius.
According to findings reviewed by Reuters, laboratory tests conducted by South Africa’s National Institute for Communicable Diseases identified the Andes strain as the cause of infection in a Dutch woman who later died in Johannesburg, as well as a British man who remains hospitalized. Both are believed to have contracted the virus while onboard the ship.
The vessel is currently preparing to sail from Cape Verde to Europe, after receiving authorization from Spanish authorities to dock in the Canary Islands.
Health officials emphasized that while the Andes strain is unique in its ability to spread between humans, such transmission is extremely rare and typically requires very close contact. More commonly, hantavirus infections occur through exposure to infected rodents or their bodily fluids, including urine, droppings, or saliva.
The incident has raised renewed concerns over health safety protocols on international voyages, particularly as global travel continues to rebound.
