Three patients with suspected hantavirus infections were evacuated from the MV Hondius cruise ship anchored off Cape Verde on Wednesday, 6. May 2026. The Dutch-flagged vessel, carrying 149 people (88 passengers and 61 crew members), has been barred from docking in Praia as a precaution and remains offshore awaiting transfer to Spain’s Canary Islands.
The World Health Organization said eight cases have been recorded, including three confirmed and three deaths. The evacuees, including a British, a Dutch and a German national, were transferred to specialised hospitals, highlighting concerns over infectious disease management at sea.
