Three Deaths Recorded as Hantavirus Cases Rise to Eight, WHO Issues Advisory
*UK to isolate cruise ship passengers in ex-Covid hospital
Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja
The World Health Organisation (WHO) yesterday confirmed a total of eight cases, up from seven earlier reported, including three deaths from the hantavirus outbreak.
In an update highlighting the disease outbreak linked to MV Hondius, the organisation noted that the statistics were as of Friday, May 8, 2026.
“As of May 8, a total of 8 cases, including three deaths, have been reported”, the statement said.
It added that six cases were confirmed as Andes virus, four patients were hospitalised, while one case previously reported as suspected was reclassified as a non-case after testing negative for Andes (ANDV) virus through specific polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and serology.
Meanwhile, the United Kingdom health authorities are gearing up to receive about 24 people from a virus-hit cruise ship, who will be isolated in a hospital once used for Covid patients, NHS officials said yesterday.
Hantaviruses are zoonotic viruses that naturally infect rodents and can occasionally spread to people.
WHO noted that epidemiological investigations were underway to determine the source of exposure, including the travel history and potential exposures of the first case, adding that one of its experts and one from the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control were on board the cruise ship to provide support to the passengers, crews, and ship operators during the journey.
During the cruise, which was travelling from Ushuaia in Argentina to Cape Verde off west Africa, “illness onset occurred between 6 and 28 April 2026,” WHO said.
It was “characterised by fever, gastrointestinal symptoms, rapid progression to pneumonia, acute respiratory distress syndrome and shock,” it said, adding that “further investigations are ongoing”.
WHO stressed that it assessed the risk to the global population from the outbreak as “low”, adding that it would continue to monitor the situation.
Passengers from Britain, Spain, and the United States, as well as crew from the Philippines, were among 23 nationalities aboard the MV Hondius, which WHO said was carrying 147 people.
The organisation yesterday said the United States was among 12 countries with nationals who had already left the ship, on the remote British island of Saint Helena, on April 24.
The United States said Friday it was organising an evacuation flight for Americans on a hantavirus-struck cruise ship that had sailed to the Canary Islands, which are part of Spain.
“The Department of State is arranging a repatriation flight to support the safe return of American passengers on this ship,” a State Department spokesperson said.
The State Department said it was coordinating with the Spanish government and other US federal agencies.
“We are in direct communication with Americans on board and are prepared to provide consular assistance as soon as the ship arrives in Tenerife, Spain,” the spokesperson said on condition of anonymity.
The ship operator earlier said that 17 Americans were on board.
The only hantavirus strain that can be transmitted from person to person — the Andes virus — has been confirmed among those who have tested positive, fueling international concern.
WHO noted that it has developed and shared technical guidance documents to support countries affected by the event, covering management of the event on the ship, investigation of cases, disembarkation, and management of returning passengers and crew members.
“An adult male, who disembarked in Tristan da Cunha on April 14, is currently stable and in isolation.
“He is currently a probable case until laboratory confirmation.
“Passengers who traveled on the same flight from St Helena to South Africa, along with one of the confirmed cases, have been contacted.
“To date, 75 contacts have been identified in South Africa, of whom 42 have been traced by national authorities and are currently under monitoring”, the statement added.
WHO advised countries involved in the event to continue public health coordination and management efforts on board conveyances and in countries where cases and/or contacts are present or will be returning to.
“Early recognition of suspected cases, prompt isolation, and consistent adherence to recommended infection prevention and control measures remain essential to protect healthcare personnel, other passengers, and crew members.
“Current evidence does not support the usefulness of routine laboratory testing or quarantine of asymptomatic contacts”, the statement added.
Meanwhile, the UK health authorities are gearing up to receive about 24 people from a virus-hit cruise ship, who will be isolated in a hospital once used for Covid patients.
Among them are about 24 British passengers and crew, as well as two people from Ireland. None are currently showing any symptoms of hantavirus.
“In line with advice from the UK Health Security Agency, on arrival they will be taken to a managed setting for clinical assessment and testing,” NHS England North West and NHS Cheshire said.
The joint statement with Wirral council and local ambulance and police said the group would initially stay for 72 hours, and arrangements for their further isolation assessed.
An internal email shared with AFP confirmed the group of about 24 people would be taken to Arrowe Park Hospital in northwestern Wirral. It was used to isolate people returning from Wuhan in China and the cruise ship Diamond Princess at the start of the 2020 Covid pandemic.