Outbreak on Cruise Ship Leaves 3 Dead: 5 Things to Know About Hantavirus

‘To date, one case of hantavirus infection has been laboratory confirmed, and there are five additional suspected cases,’ officials say.

The cruise ship MV Hondius stationary off the port of Praia, the capital of Cape Verde, on May 3, 2026. An outbreak of "severe acute respiratory illness" on board a cruise ship in the Atlantic has left two people dead and a third in intensive care in Johannesburg, South Africa's health ministry said. AFP via Getty Images

The World Health Organization (WHO) said on Sunday a suspected outbreak of hantavirus has left three dead on a cruise ship in the Atlantic Ocean.

Around 150 people were still stuck onboard the small cruise vessel as three people, a Dutch couple and a German national, died amid the outbreak. Others fell ill, including a Briton who left the vessel and was being treated in South Africa, authorities said.

WHO Says 3 Dead, 3 Sick

The WHO said in a statement that it is “aware of and supporting a public health event involving a cruise vessel sailing in the Atlantic Ocean.”