Western Cape health authorities are monitoring four people linked to a hantavirus outbreak connected to the MV Hondius cruise ship.

National health department spokesperson Foster Mohale said the four were identified through contact tracing after possible exposure linked to the vessel.

“Four linked contacts were identified as possibly exposed and are being monitored as a precautionary measure,” Mohale said.

One of the four people is reportedly showing symptoms, including fever and a sore throat. Health officials have stressed that the broader public risk remains low at this stage.

Mohale said there is currently no sign of widespread community transmission in the Western Cape. Authorities are continuing to monitor the situation closely.

Outbreak Linked to MV Hondius Cruise Ship

The MV Hondius was travelling from Argentina to Cape Verde. It carried 147 people from 23 countries and made stops across the South Atlantic, including Antarctica, the Falkland Islands and St Helena.

Eight cases have been reported so far, including three deaths. World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said five of the eight reported cases have officially tested positive for hantavirus. The remaining three are still suspected cases.

The WHO has stepped in to support health officials across several countries involved in the response.

What Health Experts Say About Hantavirus

Tedros said hantaviruses are usually carried by rodents. People can become infected through exposure to contaminated urine, saliva or droppings.

WHO infectious disease expert Maria van Kerkhove said there were no further symptomatic passengers or crew members on board the vessel. She called that a positive sign, while warning that hantavirus has a long incubation period.

She said safety measures had been introduced on the ship. These include isolation steps, room disinfection and mask-wearing precautions.

Public Risk Remains Low

Health officials say hantavirus spreads differently from illnesses such as Covid-19 or influenza.

Van Kerkhove said the virus is not Covid or flu, and does not behave in the same way.

For now, monitoring in the Western Cape remains limited to the four identified contacts, unless more people begin showing symptoms. The health department says common respiratory viruses still pose a bigger seasonal risk to the public.