Health officials are working to track down a British passenger who was aboard the cruise ship MV Hondius after it emerged that one person who disembarked the vessel remains unaccounted for. As detailed by LADbible, the World Health Organisation has confirmed five cases of hantavirus linked to the voyage, with seven cases total identified, including three deaths, one critically ill patient, and three individuals reporting mild symptoms.
The ship departed Ushuaia, Argentina, on April 1 and followed an itinerary that included stops in South Georgia, Antarctica, and St Helena. On April 24, 30 passengers disembarked at St Helena, among them seven British nationals. Two of those individuals are currently self-isolating in the UK and another four remain on St Helena, but the UK Health Security Agency has confirmed that one person has not yet returned to the UK and is being actively traced.
The situation is complicated by the fact that several passengers left the ship before the outbreak was even known about. The Dutch-flagged vessel carries 147 passengers and crew and has become the center of a major international health investigation. Illness onset among those affected occurred between April 6 and April 28, with symptoms including fever, gastrointestinal distress, and rapid progression to pneumonia or acute respiratory distress syndrome.
Three people have died in connection with the outbreak so far
A Dutch national died on board the ship on April 11. His wife, who also disembarked at St Helena on April 24, fell ill during a flight to Johannesburg the following day and passed away after arriving in South Africa. Another female passenger with pneumonia died on May 2.
Despite the severity of these cases, experts are working to keep the broader risk in perspective. Professor Robin May, chief scientific officer at the UKHSA, told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme that for the general public not directly involved with the cruise ship, the risk is negligible. The WHO has also noted that while the Andes strain of hantavirus is involved, a strain known for its rare potential for human-to-human transmission, the overall public health risk to the global population is currently considered low.
A 69-year-old British man who was flown to Johannesburg on April 27 is receiving care at a private health facility and is reported to be doing better. Another passenger, 56-year-old Martin Anstee, who was flown to the Netherlands, spoke to Sky News about his condition. He said he is doing okay and not feeling too bad, though he noted there are still many tests to be done and that he has no idea how long he will remain in hospital, as he is currently in isolation.
The ship is now sailing toward Tenerife, where Spanish authorities have granted permission for it to dock. Once the remaining British passengers on board return to the UK, they will be required to self-isolate at home for 45 days, part of a coordinated response involving the WHO and the National Institute for Communicable Diseases in South Africa.
Hantavirus is primarily a zoonotic disease, spread through contact with the urine, droppings, or saliva of infected rodents. When contaminated particles become airborne, they can be inhaled, causing serious illness. Symptoms range from fatigue, fever, and muscle aches to acute kidney failure or internal bleeding in severe cases, a risk pattern similar to other zoonotic disease outbreaks that have prompted travel advisories in recent months.
The UK Health Security Agency confirmed it is continuing to trace the one British national who has not yet been located.
Published: May 8, 2026 06:00 am