SouthernWorldwide.com – A detailed timeline has been released, highlighting the critical moments of a deadly hantavirus outbreak that occurred on an Antarctic cruise ship. The timeline traces the unfolding crisis from the initial reports of illness at sea to the ongoing efforts to identify and track passengers to prevent further spread.
The outbreak, which began aboard the MV Hondius, has unfortunately been linked to at least three confirmed deaths and eight reported cases, as of May 8, according to information from the World Health Organization.
The following is a chronological account of the outbreak, as reported by The Associated Press.
April 1
The Dutch-operated vessel, managed by Oceanwide Expeditions, commenced its journey from Ushuaia, a city located in the southern region of Argentina. The planned itinerary included stops in Antarctica and various isolated islands within the South Atlantic Ocean.
April 6
A 70-year-old male passenger from the Netherlands began experiencing symptoms, including a fever, headache, and mild diarrhea. Prior to boarding the ship, he and his wife had been exploring Ushuaia and traveling through other areas of Argentina and Chile, according to the World Health Organization.
April 11
The Dutch passenger later developed respiratory distress and sadly passed away while on board the ship. At the time, the cruise company stated that the cause of death was not immediately determined.
April 15
During a stop at Tristan da Cunha, a remote island group in the South Atlantic Ocean, six additional passengers boarded the cruise. The body of the deceased Dutch man remained on the ship.
April 24
The body of the Dutch man was disembarked from the vessel on the island of St. Helena. His wife, along with more than two dozen other passengers, also left the ship at this stop. For some travelers, this marked the conclusion of their cruise, as reported by AP.
April 25
The Dutch woman, who had begun showing symptoms of illness, boarded a commercial flight from St. Helena to South Africa. A total of 88 passengers and crew members were on board this flight.
April 26
While attempting to board another flight to return home, the Dutch woman collapsed at an airport in South Africa and subsequently died.
April 27
After the MV Hondius departed from St. Helena, a third passenger, a British man, fell ill. He was airlifted to South Africa and admitted to intensive care, presenting with a high fever, shortness of breath, and symptoms consistent with pneumonia.
April 28
As the ship was en route to Cape Verde, off the western coast of Africa, a German woman onboard the MV Hondius became ill.
May 2
The German woman passed away on board the ship, nearly a month after the first passenger reported feeling unwell. This marked the third fatality associated with the outbreak.
Meanwhile, the British man receiving treatment in South Africa tested positive for hantavirus.
May 3
The World Health Organization announced that it was initiating an investigation into a suspected hantavirus outbreak linked to the cruise ship. At this time, the vessel had entered waters near Cape Verde.
May 4
Following the positive hantavirus result for the British man, health officials in South Africa conducted a posthumous test on the Dutch woman who had collapsed and died at the airport. This test confirmed that she too had been infected with hantavirus.
The World Health Organization officially declared the situation an outbreak.
May 5
Authorities in Cape Verde denied the ship’s requests to evacuate additional sick individuals or to allow passengers and crew to disembark, creating a tense standoff. The country did, however, send healthcare workers to provide assistance onboard, but no one was permitted to leave the vessel. Two crew members, including the ship’s doctor, became seriously ill, and another individual was placed under observation.
May 6
Three individuals from the ship, two of whom tested positive for hantavirus, were evacuated and transported to specialized hospitals in Europe. Following an agreement with authorities, the vessel then proceeded towards Spain’s Canary Islands.
Later, officials in Switzerland reported an additional confirmed case of hantavirus in a man who had disembarked earlier in St. Helena. This brought the total number of confirmed infections to five.
Health authorities in South Africa and Switzerland identified the circulating strain as the Andes virus. This is notable as it is the only known hantavirus strain believed to be capable of human-to-human transmission and is found in South America.
May 7
Health authorities across several countries, including Switzerland, Britain, the Netherlands, France, Singapore, and South Africa, began isolating former passengers who had already left the ship. They also initiated contact tracing efforts to identify individuals who might have been exposed.
May 8
The cruise ship approached Tenerife, located in Spain’s Canary Islands. Authorities were in the process of organizing an evacuation and repatriation effort involving multiple countries. Spanish officials indicated that passengers would undergo screening on board before being either quarantined or flown back to their home countries.
Authorities on Tristan da Cunha reported that a resident who may have had contact with cruise passengers has been hospitalized with symptoms.
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Furthermore, two residents of New Jersey, who were not on board the ship, are being monitored due to potential exposure during international air travel, according to the New Jersey Department of Health.
