Three passengers have died and one remains in critical condition in a suspected hantavirus outbreak aboard the MV Hondius, a Dutch-flagged expedition cruise ship now anchored off Cape Verde. The vessel, carrying nearly 150 passengers and crew, was denied entry by Cape Verdean authorities due to infection risks after the outbreak emerged during a voyage from Argentina across the South Atlantic.

The dead include a Dutch couple and a German national; a British passenger was medically evacuated to South Africa. At least one case has been confirmed as hantavirus, with several others under investigation. Symptoms reported include fever, severe muscle pain, headaches, and rapid deterioration. The World Health Organization and CDC state hantavirus is typically rodent-borne and rarely spreads between humans, though transmission routes in this case are still being assessed.

Passengers, including U.S. travel blogger Jake Rosmarin, have described deteriorating morale and anxiety over delays in evacuation and medical clarity. Health teams have conducted onboard assessments, and authorities from the Netherlands, the UK, and Spain are coordinating possible rerouting to ports like Tenerife or Las Palmas for medical management.

The cruise operator confirmed the cause remains unverified pending laboratory results and contact tracing. The ship remains under quarantine, and international health agencies continue monitoring the situation. The Cape Verdean government will reassess port access following new medical evaluations, expected within 48 hours.