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Cabo Verde denied the docking permission to the cruise ship MV Hondius at the port of Praia, leaving 149 passengers from 23 nationalities stranded off its shores amid a hantavirus outbreak that has already caused three deaths and has two crew members showing severe symptoms on board.
The president of the National Institute of Public Health of Cape Verde, Maria da Luz Lima, announced the decision on Sunday night: “In coordination with other authorities, the vessel was not granted permission to dock at the port of Praia.”
The measure aims to protect the Cape Verdean population against the health risk posed by the ship.
A journey that turned into tragedy
The MV Hondius, operated by the Dutch company Oceanwide Expeditions, departed from Ushuaia on March 20 on a 46-day itinerary headed for Cape Verde, with stops at South Georgia and Saint Helena.
The first deceased was a 70-year-old Dutch passenger who died on board on April 11; his body was disembarked on the island of Saint Helena on April 24, accompanied by his 69-year-old wife.
The woman fell ill during the return trip and suffered a collapse at the Johannesburg airport while attempting to fly to the Netherlands, later passing away in a hospital in that city.
On May 2, a third passenger of German nationality died on board, although the official cause of death is still unknown.
Critical condition and pending evacuations
A 69-year-old British citizen, who was urgently evacuated to Johannesburg on April 27, remains in critical condition in an intensive care unit and is the only laboratory-confirmed case of hantavirus; the other five cases are suspected.
On board, there are also two crew members —one British and one Dutch— showing acute respiratory symptoms that require "urgent medical attention," according to the shipping company.
The World Health Organization (WHO) is coordinating the medical evacuation of these two crew members, while Cape Verde is preparing a contingency air ambulance.
Oceanwide Expeditions acknowledged in a statement that "we are facing complex challenges" and assured that "the health and safety of all passengers and crew are our top priority."
Canary Islands, a possible alternative destination
Due to Cabo Verde's rejection, the shipping company is considering directing the ship towards Las Palmas or Tenerife, in the Canary Islands, which is two or three days of navigation away.
The 149 passengers on board—among them 17 Americans, 14 Spaniards, and at least one Argentine—remain under strict isolation measures, hygiene protocols, and medical surveillance.
What is hantavirus and why is it concerning?
Hantavirus is primarily transmitted through the inhalation of aerosolized particles contaminated with feces, urine, or saliva from infected rodents.
Suspicions point to the Andes virus, which is present in Argentina and Chile, and is the only documented strain with the ability to transmit between people, albeit infrequently.
Argentina reported an active health alert in 2026, with 32 cases notified between January and early May, primarily in the southern Andean provinces of the country.
The mortality rate of hantavirus pulmonary syndrome is around 35-38%, and there is no specific antiviral treatment available.
The WHO calls for calm
Despite the seriousness of the outbreak, the WHO emphasized that there is no cause for panic. "The risk to the general public remains low. There is no need for panic or travel restrictions," stated Dr. Hans Henri P. Kluge, WHO Regional Director for Europe.
The director general of the organization, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, emphasized that "swift and coordinated action is essential to contain risks and protect public health."
Kluge framed the incident in broader terms: "Health threats do not respect borders. Working together is how we protect people."
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