Health 9 May 2026 Daily Monitor (Uganda)
Hantavirus Outbreak: Cruise Ship Heads to Tenerife After Cape Verde Stop
A cruise ship experiencing a hantavirus outbreak has departed Cape Verde for Tenerife after four days. Three individuals have died from the virus, with ongoing investigations into further suspected cases. Source: https://www.monitor.co.ug/uganda/news/world/where-the-hantavirus-hit-ship-has-been-and-where-it-s-bound-next-5444086
A cruise ship that experienced a hantavirus outbreak has set sail for Tenerife in the Canary Islands. The vessel had been anchored off Cape Verde for four days, during which time specialist teams evacuated three individuals.
As of Thursday, the World Health Organization confirmed five cases of the virus, with an additional three suspected cases. Tragically, three people – a Dutch couple and a German national – have succumbed to the illness.
Ship tracking data reveals the global route taken by the cruise, advertised as an “Atlantic odyssey” to remote islands. The first reported death aboard occurred on April 11, approximately two weeks before his wife disembarked on April 24.
Upon reaching Tenerife, the approximately 150 remaining passengers and crew, some of whom have been on board since March 20, may be permitted to disembark under medical supervision. The news has raised concerns among residents in the Canary Islands, evoking fears of potential quarantine measures similar to those seen during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the WHO has stated that the risk to the public remains low, as the detected variant of hantavirus is understood to spread between humans only through close and prolonged contact.
Source: Daily Monitor (Uganda)