Two critically ill crew members from the MV Hondius are set to be airlifted to the Netherlands for urgent medical care after a suspected hantavirus outbreak triggered an international health response.

The cruise ship is currently anchored off Praia, the capital of Cape Verde. Authorities there barred the vessel from docking after illness spread among people on board.

Spain’s health ministry said the ship is expected to reach the Canary Islands in “three to four days”. Once it arrives, passengers and crew will undergo medical assessments before being cared for and transferred to their home countries.

WHO Says Canary Islands has Medical Capacity

The World Health Organisation said the Canary Islands were the closest location with the medical capacity needed to deal with the situation.

The MV Hondius has been under close watch since Saturday, when the WHO was told the rare disease may have been linked to the deaths of three passengers.

Hantavirus is usually spread through contact with infected rodents, often through urine, droppings or saliva.

WHO representative Ann Lindstrand said that once the medical evacuation is complete, the ship can continue its route. Operator Oceanwide Expeditions said the vessel would sail north to either Gran Canaria or Tenerife.

Cases Linked to South Africa

The cruise left Ushuaia in Argentina on 1 April and was heading for Cape Verde. The WHO said 88 passengers and 59 crew members were on board, with 23 nationalities represented.

One of the passengers who died was a Dutch woman who had left the ship at Saint Helena and later flew to Johannesburg. She died on 26 April.

The WHO said two hantavirus cases had been confirmed. These include one fatal case and a British passenger currently in intensive care in Johannesburg. Five more cases are suspected.

Contact Tracing Under Way

Three of the seven confirmed or suspected cases have died. One person in Johannesburg remains critically ill, while three people still on board reported milder symptoms.

The WHO is still trying to establish how hantavirus appeared on the ship.

Health officials are also tracing people who were on the flight to Johannesburg. Airlink said the flight carried 82 passengers and six crew. South African authorities asked the airline to notify passengers to contact the health department.