May 08, 2026 - 94 views
A deadly Hantavirus outbreak aboard a cruise ship has left a trail across three continents and the Caribbean
A complex and fast‑moving public‑health investigation is underway after dozens of passengers disembarked a cruise liner during its Atlantic route — including one woman who left the ship with her husband’s body before later dying in South Africa.
Authorities now confirm 30 passengers in total left the vessel at Saint Helena, triggering an international tracing effort spanning Europe, North America, Africa and the Caribbean.
⚠️Hantavirus⚠️
— Jam Radio UK News (@Jam_RadioUK) May 8, 2026
A deadly virus outbreak on board a cruise liner has sparked a global race to trace infected passengers across three continents and the Caribbean Island of Saint Kitts and Nevis.#Hantavirüs #StKitts #StkittsandNevis #CanaryIslands pic.twitter.com/DUnGtMFBe4
Officials on the island released the nationality breakdown of those who disembarked:
- 7 British
- 6 American
- 3 Dutch
- 2 each from Canada, Switzerland and Turkey
- 1 each from Germany, Denmark, New Zealand, Singapore, Sweden, and Saint Kitts & Nevis
Two additional British passengers — who had already flown home — are now self‑isolating after contacting UK authorities when news of the ship’s cases emerged. Neither reported symptoms at the time of travel.
St. Kitts and Nevis is one of 12 countries that the World Health Organisation (WHO) has placed on alert after a hantavirus outbreak linked to the cruise ship MV Hondius
The ship continued its scheduled route after the Saint Helena stop, dropping anchor off Cape Verde on 3 May. Maritime tracking shows the liner still at sea, heading northeast toward the Canary Islands.
Local officials in Tenerife say the vessel is expected Saturday or possibly Sunday, depending on weather conditions during the final leg of the journey.
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JamRadio’s regional contacts report that Spanish authorities have confirmed passengers will be quarantined near an airport once the ship arrives. and will be monitored before being declared fit to fly to the respective home countries.
A correspondent in Tenerife says the situation remains fluid: “We’re told the journey will take three to four days, but arrival could slip into Sunday. The quarantine arrangements are still being negotiated.”
The remaining passengers and crew will only be allowed to disembark if they show no symptoms upon arrival. Health teams in the Canaries are preparing for screening, testing and potential isolation orders.
With passengers now scattered across multiple countries and two deaths already linked to the voyage, public‑health agencies are coordinating to trace contacts and assess the wider risk.
JamRadio will continue to monitor developments as the ship approaches the Canary Islands and authorities decide how to manage the next phase of the response.
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