Misryoum reports a suspected hantavirus outbreak aboard a ship off Cape Verde, with about 150 people still waiting as evacuations are prepared.
A suspected hantavirus outbreak has set off a complex evacuation effort after cases of illness were reported on a cruise ship off the coast of Cape Verde, leaving around 150 people still on board.
Medics on May 4 were working to evacuate two people showing symptoms, following deaths that officials said included a Dutch couple and a German national.. Others onboard also fell ill, including a British passenger who had left the vessel earlier and was being treated in South Africa, according to Misryoum.
Meanwhile, authorities in Cape Verde said the ship was not allowed to dock as a precaution, describing the move as aimed at protecting public health.
This kind of situation is especially hard for passengers and families because the line between suspected exposure and confirmed infection can take time, even when health teams move quickly.
Misryoum reported that the ship’s operator said it was managing a serious medical situation and was looking into ways to screen passengers and arrange disembarkation at islands including Las Palmas and Tenerife.. The company also said it was trying to repatriate two crew members who had symptoms, along with the body of the deceased German national and a guest closely associated with them.
Hantavirus, the disease at the center of the concern, can lead to severe respiratory illness. It is typically spread when rodent droppings or urine become airborne, and it does not usually pass easily from person to person, Misryoum said.
There is no specific drug to treat the infection, so care generally focuses on supportive measures, including life support in severe cases. Symptoms often begin with flu-like signs such as fever and fatigue, sometimes weeks after exposure.
Adding to the uncertainty, Misryoum reported that officials said the exact source of the infection has not been confirmed. While one possibility could involve rodents on the ship, another could involve infections acquired during stops elsewhere, depending on how and when symptoms appeared.
WHO said the risk to the wider public was low and urged against panic, emphasizing that the response would focus on medical support, evacuation steps, investigations, and assessing any public health risk.
For travelers, authorities and operators, Misryoum notes that the core challenge is balancing urgency with caution: moving people for care while minimizing the chances of further exposure during an evolving investigation.