Hantavirus outbreak on cruise ship sparks international contact tracing

A hantavirus outbreak on the MV Hondius cruise ship has prompted a global effort to trace passengers who disembarked before the ship was quarantined off Cabo Verde. Three people died: a Dutch couple and a German national. Eight others, including a Swiss citizen, are suspected of contracting the virus, per the World Health Organization. The ship's operator, Oceanwide Expeditions, reported that 29 passengers left the vessel on April 24 in St Helena, a remote South Atlantic island, before the outbreak was confirmed. The Dutch government said around 40 passengers disembarked there. Those who left were of at least 12 nationalities, with two of unknown nationality. Among them was the wife of a Dutch man who died aboard on April 11; she fell ill and died before reaching the Netherlands. Dutch airline KLM removed her from a flight in Johannesburg on April 25 due to her worsening condition. Countries are racing to identify and monitor all exposed individuals to prevent further spread of the disease.