Ghana and other African Union Member States have been urged to strengthen disease surveillance and port health systems following a rare hantavirus cluster linked to an international cruise ship outbreak.

In a statement issued on May 5, 2026, the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention said the outbreak appears to be confined to the cruise ship but stressed the need for Member States to remain vigilant.

“Africa CDC advises Member States to strengthen port health services, reinforce infection prevention and control measures, and ensure timely reporting of suspected cases,” it noted.

The Africa CDC further urged travellers to practice good hygiene, avoid contact with rodents or potentially contaminated environments, and seek medical attention if they develop symptoms such as fever, fatigue, muscle aches, or respiratory difficulties following travel.

The statement follows confirmation of hantavirus cases among passengers aboard the MV Hondius, which travelled from Ushuaia, Argentina, to the Canary Islands via Cabo Verde between March and April 2026.

Health authorities first detected the situation on May 2, 2026, after passengers developed severe respiratory illness during the voyage.

The vessel carried 147 people, including crew members.

Symptoms among affected individuals began between April 6 to April 20, 2026, initially presenting as fever and gastrointestinal illness before rapidly progressing to pneumonia, acute respiratory distress syndrome, and shock.

The index case died on April 11, 2026, while still on board the ship.

Authorities in Cabo Verde, the Netherlands, Spain, South Africa, and the United Kingdom have launched a coordinated response involving case investigation, isolation, clinical management, and medical evacuation.

South Africa has confirmed two cases of hantavirus linked to the MV Hondius cruise ship outbreak.

What is the hantavirus that has been confirmed on an Atlantic cruise ship?

Speaking at the close of the National Aviation Conference in Johannesburg, on May 6, 2026, Transport Minister Barbara Creecy addressed growing concerns following the death of three people linked to a cruise ship outbreak, including a passenger who collapsed at OR Tambo International east of Johannesburg.

“It won’t be the first time we’ve had to deal with a challenge like this. I think you know we had to deal with COVID pandemic and it is undeniable that this particular virus doesn’t pose a scale of the challenge that COVID posed. But I think that it’s better to be prepared and to take precaution and I have every confidence that the Department of Health will advise us on all appropriate mechanism that we need to take,” she noted.

Although hantaviruses are typically transmitted through contact with infected rodent urine, saliva, or droppings and are not known for sustained human-to-human transmission, the clustering of cases in a confined environment has raised concern among health officials.

Meanwhile, the Director-General of the World Health Organisation (WHO), Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, has stated that while the situation is serious, the overall public health risk remains low.

He noted that the organisation is coordinating with multiple countries under the International Health Regulations (IHR) to ensure proper patient care, monitor affected passengers, and prevent further spread of the infection.

Hantaviruses are primarily transmitted to humans through contact with infected rodent excreta, saliva or urine and are not typically associated with sustained human-to-human transmission.

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