3 min readNew DelhiUpdated: May 8, 2026 08:31 PM IST
At least two Indians are crew members on-board the MV Hondius cruise ship, which is at the centre of the current hantavirus outbreak. “Both individuals are presently asymptomatic and are under observation in accordance with established international health protocols,” said sources from the Union health ministry.
In case they do develop symptoms, they will have to remain in isolation longer, the sources added.
Keeping in mind the situation, a high-level meeting was conducted on Friday with officials from Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme and the National Focal Point for International Health Regulations — the body that communicates with the World Health Organisation (WHO) in situations of public health emergency – in attendance. The officials assessed the situation and reviewed preparedness measures. Sources said that the health ministry is closely monitoring the situation on-board the cruise ship.
According to the information available from the WHO, shared by health ministry officials in the meeting, there are eight probable cases of Hantavirus infection on the vessel. Of these, five have been confirmed with laboratory tests. Three deaths have been reported so far. The WHO was notified about the incident in the first week of this month.
A health ministry official said that as per the WHO, the virus involved is the Andes strain, which is known to have limited capability of human-to-human transmission and generally requires close and prolonged contact for spread. WHO has assessed the current public health risk as low, while indicating that additional cases may be reported due to the relatively long incubation period associated with the infection.
The official shared during the meeting that WHO is working towards strengthening diagnostic support, facilitating epidemiological assessment, and ensuring safe disembarkation and onward travel arrangements for passengers and crew.
The ship was carrying 147 persons on-board, including 59 crew members. Those on-board are from 23 different countries, the WHO said in its latest update released on May 4. The vessel is currently moored off the coast of Cabo Verde in Africa.
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Those who died included a man who developed fever, headache, and mild diarrhoea on April 6. He developed respiratory distress by April 11 and died on-board the same day. A woman, who was a close contact of the first person, developed gastrointestinal symptoms after disembarking at Saint Helena on April 24. Her health deteriorated during a flight to Johannesburg and she died on April 26 after checking into an emergency facility. Another woman, who got fever and started feeling unwell on April 28, died with pneumonia on May 2.
