Passengers on £35,000 Atlantic cruise struck by rat-borne hantavirus tell of their hell as they remain trapped on board because Cape Verde authorities won’t let them disembark: Fears of more cases after three people died and Brit was left critical

Passengers on a cruise ship were stranded at sea after three people died and a British man struggled for his life after a mouse-borne virus emerged.

The World Health Organization (WHO) confirmed six cases of suspected hantavirus infection on the MV Hondius traveling from Ushuaia in Argentina to Cape Verde in Africa.

The first person to die was a 70-year-old passenger, followed by his 69-year-old wife. They are both Dutch citizens.

The 69-year-old British man was taken to Johannesburg and treated in intensive care.

The World Health Organization said on Sunday night that it was ‘aware of cases of severe acute respiratory disease on a cruise ship sailing in the Atlantic’.

While three people were confirmed dead on the ship, the British man was confirmed to be a victim of hantavirus infection, and a total of six suspected cases were investigated.

Passengers described being stranded on the ship after being ordered to remain on board while ‘waiting for approval’ to disembark.

In a letter distributed to customers of cruise line Oceanwide Expeditions on Sunday and seen by the Daily Mail, they were informed that passengers were ‘pending approval’ to leave the ship.

In a letter seen by the Daily Mail that cruise line Oceanwide Expeditions distributed to customers on Sunday, they were informed that passengers were ‘pending approval’ to leave the ship.

The letter said: ‘As you know, we are responding to several cases of an unidentified virus.

‘We are sorry to share that one of our guests, who showed severe symptoms, passed away overnight.

‘We are currently anchored off the coast of Cape Verde and awaiting approval from the Cape Verde authorities to disembark, with priority given to those requiring urgent medical care.

‘At this stage we do not have permission to disembark from the Cape Verde authorities.’

The letter advised everyone on board to continue ‘following best practice, wearing a face mask, maintaining distance and minimizing contact with other guests where possible’.

He added: ‘Please be assured that we are applying pressure through all available channels, including at the diplomatic level, to provide urgent care to those displaying severe symptoms and to ensure that all guests on board can be appropriately supported within an adequate health screening process.’

One passenger, who wished to remain anonymous, told the Daily Mail: ‘We have heard nothing from Oceanwide. We still have friends on board.’

Last year, prices for full cruises on the ship ranged from €12,500 for a bed in a shared cabin with other passengers to €40,000 for the most luxurious private cabin.

A Turkish passenger on the ship said in a statement on social media that his “Irish friend” was receiving treatment in South Africa, but fortunately his condition was “improving”.

What are hantaviruses?

Hantaviruses are often spread by rodents (file image)

Hantaviruses are a family of viruses that can cause serious illness and death.

They are usually spread by rodents and do not normally spread from person to person.

Viruses can cause two syndromes: Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS) and hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS).

Early symptoms of HPS include fatigue, fever, and muscle aches.

Intense headaches, back pain, nausea, and blurred vision are symptoms of HFRS.

Minimizing contact with rodents at home, work, or at the campsite can help reduce the risk of exposure to hantaviruses.

A map shows the ship sailing from Ushuaia to South Georgia and St. It shows its route before passing through St. Helena and reaching its final destination in Cape Verde.

Hantaviruses, a family of viruses, are spread by rodents through contact with their urine, feces, and saliva.

They do not usually spread from person to person and are typically transmitted only through body fluids and close contact.

As of Sunday night, WHO had confirmed one laboratory case of hantavirus infection and was investigating five more suspected cases.

A spokesman said: ‘Three of the six people affected have died and one is currently in intensive care in South Africa.

‘Investigations and a coordinated international public health response are ongoing. We will share more information as it becomes available.’

Medical care and support are provided to passengers and crew, and laboratory tests and epidemiological investigations are carried out.

WHO confirmed that ‘sequencing of the virus’ is also ongoing to understand transmission and mutations.

A source close to the case said the provisional death toll was three, including a Dutch couple.

Officials, speaking anonymously on Sunday, added that talks were ongoing to decide whether the two sick passengers should be isolated in a hospital in Cape Verde.

It was said that the ship would then sail towards Spain’s Canary Islands. The ship is now 1,600 miles from the Canaries.

South Africa’s health ministry confirmed that a British tourist was receiving treatment at a private health facility in Sandton, Johannesburg, adding that the tourist’s laboratory test results came back positive for hantavirus infection.

A Turkish passenger on the ship said in a statement on social media that his ‘Irish friend’ was receiving treatment in South Africa, but luckily his condition was ‘improving’.

He wrote: ‘Normally human-to-human transmission is not common. But we are in a very complex situation. Please keep us in your thoughts.

‘We will complete this ocean crossing. Since we are not allowed to go ashore in Cape Verde, we will most likely go to the Canary Islands. We hope to do well there.’

The South African Ministry of Health said that the Dutch male passenger complained of fever, headache, abdominal pain and diarrhea, and that his wife fell ill at the airport and died in St. Helena while she was taken to the hospital in South Africa’s Kempton Park region.

The MV Hondius was just off the coast of the port of Praia, the capital of Cape Verde, on Sunday, according to various online ship tracking sites.

The ship can accommodate approximately 170 passengers and has approximately 70 crew members.

The Foreign Office told the Daily Mail: ‘We are closely monitoring reports of a possible hantavirus outbreak on the cruise ship Hondius and are ready to support British nationals if necessary.

‘We are in contact with the cruise line and local authorities.’

Hantaviruses are known to cause a variety of diseases in humans, ranging from mild flu-like illnesses to serious respiratory diseases or hemorrhagic diseases.

Early symptoms may include fatigue, fever, muscle aches and intense headaches.

The risk of contracting the disease can be reduced by minimizing contact with rodents.

Oceanwide Expeditions has been contacted for comment.