Since April 1, when the ship set sail with 147 passengers and crew members, "seven people have fallen ill, of whom three have died, one is in critical condition, and three have mild symptoms," the organization has confirmed.
"Based on current information, including how hantavirus spreads, the WHO assesses the risk to the global population from this event as low," the organization stated in a press release. "We are working closely with the health authorities of the countries involved and the ship operators to ensure that passengers and crew receive the information and support they need," they added.
The organization is also taking steps to locate passengers from a flight between the island of Saint Helena to Johannesburg (South Africa) on which one of the affected passengers who later died had travelled.
This is the timeline of events:
On May 2, 2026, the WHO received a notification from the United Kingdom about an outbreak of severe acute respiratory illness, which included two deaths and one passenger in critical condition, on board a Dutch-flagged cruise ship.
The ship had departed from Ushuaia, Argentina, on April 1, 2026, and followed an itinerary through the South Atlantic, with multiple stops in remote and ecologically diverse regions, including continental Antarctica, South Georgia, Nightingale Island, Tristan da Cunha, Saint Helena, and Ascension Island. "The extent of contact of passengers with local wildlife during the trip or before boarding in Ushuaia is unknown," the WHO stated in a report on the case.
On the same May 2, laboratory tests conducted in South Africa confirmed hantavirus infection in the aforementioned patient in critical condition admitted to intensive care, reports the WHO.
On May 3, a second death was reported in another passenger travelling on the cruise. As of May 4, a total of seven cases had been reported (two confirmed and five suspected), including three deaths.
The ship carries a total of 147 people, including 88 passengers and 59 crew members from 23 different nationalities. As of May 4, the ship was anchored off the coast of Cape Verde.
This is what is known about the affected individuals:
Case 1: An adult male who presented symptoms of fever, headache, and mild diarrhea on April 6, 2026, on board the ship. On April 11, he developed respiratory distress and died on board the same day. No microbiological tests were conducted. The passenger's body was transferred from the ship to Saint Helena (British Overseas Territory) on April 24.
Case 2: An adult female, close contact of case 1, disembarked in Saint Helena on April 24, 2026, with gastrointestinal symptoms. Her condition worsened during a flight to Johannesburg, South Africa, on April 25. She died upon arrival at the emergency department on April 26. On May 4, it was confirmed by PCR that the case corresponded to a hantavirus infection. Contact tracing of the flight passengers has been initiated.