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Cruise Ship Captain Video Surfaces Amid Hantavirus Outbreak
(MENAFN) Newly released footage shows the captain of a cruise ship reassuring passengers after an onboard death, which later became part of a confirmed hantavirus outbreak investigation, according to reports.
In the video, recorded on April 12 before authorities confirmed the outbreak, the captain of the MV Hondius informed passengers that a man who had died earlier on board was believed to have passed away from natural causes. He also stated that medical assessments at the time indicated the illness was not infectious, adding that the vessel was considered safe in that regard.
The ship, a Dutch-flagged cruise vessel carrying around 150 passengers from more than 20 countries, had departed from Argentina in early April en route to Cape Verde. The first reported fatality was a 70-year-old Dutch passenger who became ill days after departure and died on April 11. His wife later accompanied his body ashore in South Africa, where she subsequently collapsed and also died in hospital later that month. A third passenger, a German woman, died shortly afterward, with her body remaining on board at the time of reporting.
As the situation developed, health authorities confirmed multiple suspected or confirmed cases linked to the ship, prompting evacuations of passengers to several countries including the Netherlands, South Africa, Germany, Switzerland, and Spain. Officials have also been working to locate dozens of passengers who disembarked at earlier stops.
Investigators believe the initial infections may have originated before boarding, potentially during a shore excursion in Argentina involving exposure to a landfill area. The virus involved has been identified as the Andes strain of hantavirus, a rare pathogen typically transmitted through contact with infected rodents or contaminated environments. Unlike most hantavirus strains, this variant is also known for limited potential transmission between humans through close contact.
Health authorities continue to monitor the situation and trace potential exposure routes as part of an ongoing investigation into the outbreak.
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