Here is a roundup of countries that have confirmed or probable cases of hantavirus linked to the outbreak aboard the cruise ship MV Hondius, according to the World Health Organization (WHO) and national health authorities.
So far, eight cases have been confirmed, while two others are classified as probable. The outbreak has affected citizens from six countries.
Three deaths have been recorded, two confirmed hantavirus fatalities and one probable case.
Health authorities are also investigating additional suspected cases and tracing close contacts of infected passengers and crew.
Netherlands
The Netherlands has recorded two deaths and one confirmed infection linked to the outbreak.
The first fatalities were a Dutch couple who had travelled across South America before boarding the ship in Ushuaia, Argentina, on April 1.
The 70-year-old husband developed symptoms on April 6 and died on April 11. His body was removed from the vessel during its stop at Saint Helena between April 22 and 24.
Although no hantavirus test was carried out, the WHO classified him as a “probable case.”
His 69-year-old wife also disembarked at Saint Helena after falling ill. Her condition worsened during a flight to Johannesburg on April 25, and she died in hospital the following day. Hantavirus infection was confirmed on May 4.
The third Dutch case involved the ship’s doctor, who developed symptoms on April 30. He tested positive for the Andes strain of hantavirus on May 6.
After the ship docked in Cape Verde, he was evacuated to the Netherlands the same day and remained in stable condition while receiving treatment in isolation.
Britain
Two British nationals have been confirmed infected, while another is listed as a probable case.
One British passenger became ill on April 24 with fever and pneumonia symptoms and was evacuated three days later from Ascension Island to South Africa, where he was admitted to intensive care.
Tests confirmed hantavirus infection on May 2, with sequencing later identifying the Andes strain.
A second British national, who worked as a guide on the ship, reported symptoms on April 27 and tested positive on May 6.
He was flown to the Netherlands from Cape Verde on May 7 and was said to be stable while undergoing isolation treatment.
A third British man left the Hondius on April 14 for Tristan da Cunha in the South Atlantic, where he was placed in isolation after developing symptoms on April 28.
The WHO categorised him as a probable case pending laboratory confirmation.
British ministers said military paratroopers and medics were deployed to the remote island to deliver emergency medical supplies.
Germany
A German woman who first developed a fever on April 28 later suffered pneumonia and died aboard the ship on May 2.
Post-mortem samples sent to the Netherlands confirmed she had been infected with the Andes strain of hantavirus.
Her body remained on the vessel, which was scheduled to depart Tenerife, Spain, for the Netherlands on Monday night.
Switzerland
A Swiss man disembarked from the ship at Saint Helena on April 22 and returned to Switzerland on April 27 via South Africa and Qatar.
He developed symptoms on May 1 after arriving home and later tested positive for the Andes virus on May 5 while being treated in isolation.
France
France confirmed its first linked case after a French woman repatriated from the Hondius became unwell on May 10 and tested positive for hantavirus.
French Health Minister Stephanie Rist confirmed the development.
United States
The United States Department of Health and Human Services said one of 17 American citizens repatriated from the ship tested “mildly PCR positive” for the virus, while another showed mild symptoms.
The update was issued on May 10.
AFP
