Three people suspected to have been infected with hantavirus have been evacuated from a cruise ship off Cape Verde and transported to the Netherlands for urgent medical care, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus confirmed the evacuation on Wednesday, noting that the overall public health risk remains low despite the alarming situation.
The affected passengers were taken from the MV Hondius cruise ship, which has been under international health monitoring since Saturday after reports of deaths and suspected hantavirus infections onboard.
The Dutch-flagged vessel, operated by Oceanwide Expeditions, departed Ushuaia in Argentina on April 1 and has been anchored off Cape Verde since Sunday. It was carrying 88 passengers and 59 crew members from 23 countries.
So far, three confirmed hantavirus cases have been recorded, including one fatality, while five additional suspected cases are still under investigation.
The evacuation of two crew members and one other passenger was coordinated between the WHO, ship operators, and authorities from Cape Verde, the United Kingdom, and the Netherlands.
Hantavirus is a rare but serious disease typically spread through contact with infected rodents or exposure to their urine, droppings, or saliva.
WHO says monitoring of passengers and crew—both onboard and those already disembarked—has been activated to prevent further spread and ensure medical follow-up where necessary.
Despite the developments, health authorities maintain that the situation is contained and the risk to the general public remains low.