Chinese Embassy in Cape Verde Issues Alert Over Hantavirus Outbreak Aboard Cruise Ship

The Chinese Embassy in Cape Verde today issued a reminder to Chinese citizens residing and staying in the country over the hantavirus outbreak aboard a cruise ship currently anchored off the coast of Praia.

The embassy urged them to closely follow official announcements released by Cape Verde's health authorities and the embassy itself, and to refrain from believing or spreading unverified online rumors.

After verification, the embassy confirmed that no Chinese nationals are aboard the MV Hondius, the cruise ship at the center of an international health emergency amid a hantavirus outbreak on board, according to the World Health Organization.

The WHO confirmed two officially diagnosed hantavirus cases, one of which resulted in a fatality, while another involves a British passenger now receiving intensive care treatment in Johannesburg. Five additional suspected cases have also been identified.

Among the seven confirmed and suspected cases, three patients have died. The British patient in Johannesburg remains in critical condition, while three other affected individuals still on the ship show mild symptoms, with one having become asymptomatic.

The cruise, which set sail from Ushuaia in Argentina on April 1 destined for Cape Verde, counted 88 passengers and 59 crew members, with 23 nationalities onboard, the WHO said.

The WHO was trying to deduce how hantavirus had appeared on the ship, with the first person who died having developed symptoms on April 6.

Human-to-human transmission has only been reported in previous outbreaks of one specific hantavirus called Andes virus, which circulates in South America.

WHO epidemic and pandemic preparedness and prevention director Maria Van Kerkhove told reporters the virus species had yet to be confirmed, but highlighted that WHO had been told "there are no rats on board" the ship.

South African researchers were sequencing the data, said Van Kerkhove, who added that "our working assumption is that it is the Andes virus".

"We do believe that there may be some human-to-human transmission that is happening among the really close contacts."

Two seriously ill crew members on the cruise ship will be evacuated via Cape Verde to the Netherlands, allowing the vessel to sail on to Spain's Canary Islands, the Dutch operator Oceanwide Expeditions said yesterday, AFP reported.

Spain's health ministry said the ship was due to arrive in the Canaries in "three to four days" but did not specify the port.

"Once there, the crew and passengers will be duly examined, cared for, and transferred to their respective countries," it said.

The health ministry said the WHO had explained that the Canary Islands were "the closest place with the necessary capabilities" medically.