Cruise passengers scattered worldwide before hantavirus was detected — AP
Photo: Dozens of cruise ship passengers had already scattered across the globe before the hantavirus was detected (Getty Images)
Dozens of potentially infected passengers from the cruise ship MV Hondius had already returned to their home countries before the hantavirus outbreak was detected. They were not examined by doctors, according to AP.
Health authorities on four continents tracked and monitored passengers who disembarked from the cruise ship affected by the hantavirus before the deadly outbreak was detected, and also tried to locate others who may have come into contact with them since then.
The WHO located some of these passengers more than two weeks after their departure, during which time they could have come into contact with thousands of people.
The map shows the countries where passengers who disembarked from the cruise ship affected by hantavirus traveled before the deadly outbreak was detected.
Photo: AP
Hantavirus outbreak
The cruise ship MV Hondius was forced to stop off the coast of Cape Verde due to a hantavirus outbreak that has already claimed the lives of at least three people.
According to media reports, one laboratory-confirmed case of infection has been identified on board, and five more people are suspected of having the virus.
The cruise began on March 20 in Argentina and was scheduled to end on May 4. At the time of the incident, there were about 150 passengers on board.
The first to fall ill and die was a 70-year-old Dutch citizen. Subsequently, his 69-year-old wife also died in a hospital in Johannesburg while preparations for evacuation were underway. The third victim was also a Dutch citizen; his body remains on board the ship.
There are five Ukrainian citizens among the crew.
Currently, after several days anchored off Cape Verde, the cruise ship is heading to the Canary Islands in Spain. Upon the ship’s arrival, all passengers and crew members will undergo medical examinations.
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