Cape averde, May 7:
Three passengers with suspected hantavirus infections are being evacuated from a cruise ship to the Netherlands as health authorities respond to an outbreak on board.
The vessel, carrying nearly 150 people off Cape Verde and heading toward Spain’s Canary Islands, has reported three deaths and eight infections, including three confirmed cases.
The World Health Organization said contact tracing is underway across Europe and Africa as passengers from 23 nationalities were on board. Most remaining passengers are asymptomatic and isolating.
The outbreak is believed to involve the Andes strain of hantavirus, typically linked to rodent exposure, with rare human-to-human transmission. Officials suspect infections began before boarding in South America.
WHO experts say public risk is low, though severe cases can require intensive care. The ship continues toward the Canary Islands under monitoring.