The World Health Organization (WHO) has confirmed five of eight suspected hantavirus cases linked to the luxury cruise ship MV Hondius. The U.N. health agency warned on Thursday (7 May) that more infections could emerge because of the virus’s long incubation period.  

At a briefing on Thursday, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the organisation was aware of reports involving additional patients, but stressed that the wider public health threat from the outbreak remained low.

Three passengers on the cruise - a Dutch couple and a German national - have already died from suspected hantavirus infection. The Dutch Health Ministry said on Thursday that a Dutch woman had been admitted to hospital in Amsterdam after showing possible symptoms of the virus.

Dutch broadcaster RTL reported that the woman was a stewardess for KLM and had been in contact with a Dutch woman who attempted to board a plane in Johannesburg, South Africa, before later dying.

Separately, three people were evacuated from the ship on Wednesday. One was admitted to hospital in the Netherlands, while another was transferred to Germany for medical treatment.

Race to trace passengers 

Countries are scrambling to trace people who left the outbreak-hit ship before it became stranded off the coast of Cape Verde. Authorities in the country refused to allow the vessel to dock, citing public health concerns.

The Dutch government said on Wednesday that around 40 passengers had disembarked on the island of Saint Helena, where the ship stopped en route to Cape Verde before the outbreak was reported.

The whereabouts of many of those passengers remain unknown.

One of those who disembarked was the wife of the Dutchman who died aboard the ship on 11 April. She later fell ill and died before she could return to the Netherlands. KLM said on Wednesday that the woman had been removed from a flight in Johannesburg on 25 April because of her deteriorating condition.

U.S. authorities monitoring situation

The virus identified in the victims has been confirmed as the Andean strain, which can spread between humans through very close contact.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said on Wednesday that it was closely monitoring the situation involving U.S. travellers aboard the ship, adding that the risk to the American public remained extremely low.

"The Department of State is leading a coordinated, whole-of-government response including direct contact with passengers, diplomatic coordination, and engagement with domestic and international health authorities," the CDC said in a statement. 

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French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot said on Thursday that one French citizen had been in contact with a person who had fallen ill, but was not currently showing symptoms.

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