Passengers aboard the doomed MV Hondius thought they were embarking on the adventure of a lifetime — an exclusive Atlantic expedition sailing from the icy edge of Argentina toward Europe. Instead, nearly 150 travelers now find themselves trapped inside a growing international health scare after a suspected hantavirus outbreak killed three people and left several others fighting for their lives.
As frightened passengers remain confined to the luxury Dutch cruise ship off the coast of West Africa, experts are warning that the source of the outbreak may point to two deeply troubling possibilities — and one of them has sparked fears of human-to-human transmission aboard the vessel itself.
The outbreak began after the ship departed Ushuaia, Argentina, on March 20 for its weeks-long “Atlantic Odyssey” voyage. What should have been a dream expedition soon turned into a medical emergency after passengers reportedly began falling ill with symptoms linked to hantavirus, a rare but potentially deadly disease most commonly spread through infected rodent droppings.
Health officials now believe the virus may have spread either through exposure to contaminated rat or mouse feces, urine or saliva — or, in a far more alarming scenario, through direct human transmission involving the Andes strain of hantavirus, one of the only known versions capable of spreading between people.
The MV Hondius cruise ship had departed from Ushuaia, Argentina, on March 20 for its weeks-long “Atlantic Odyssey” voyage before the suspected hantavirus outbreak turned deadly. AFP via Getty Images
And that chilling possibility is exactly what has experts on edge.
“The Andes virus… is the one that’s transmitted person-to-person,” physician Dr. Zaid Fadul warned, explaining why anxiety surrounding the outbreak has escalated so rapidly.
The strain, found in parts of Argentina visited by passengers before boarding the ship, reportedly carries a mortality rate approaching 40 percent — a terrifying statistic in the close quarters of an 80-cabin expedition vessel where passengers and crew spent weeks sharing dining areas, lounges and excursions together.
World Health Organization officials admitted Tuesday that human transmission “cannot be ruled out,” with epidemic director Maria Van Kerkhove confirming authorities believe some infections may have spread among close contacts onboard.
That revelation has transformed the outbreak from a contained cruise ship illness into a growing international concern.
Three passengers have already died — including one confirmed hantavirus victim — while another remains in critical condition. Several more passengers are reportedly ill, and emergency evacuations have already begun as authorities race to prevent the crisis from spreading further across multiple countries.
Images from the quarantined ship have only intensified fears. Medical teams dressed in white protective suits were photographed boarding and leaving the vessel as terrified passengers watched from behind windows and railings. Local authorities in Cape Verde refused to allow the ship to dock normally, citing concerns over protecting public health in the island nation.
Only those requiring urgent medical treatment have been permitted to leave the vessel.
The Andes strain of the hantavirus — the only one to be spread through human-to-human contact — is found in the area of Argentina where MV Hondius cruise passengers have visited, Dr. Zaid Fadul told The Post.Corbis via Getty Images
Still, some experts believe the explanation may ultimately prove less catastrophic than feared.
Scientists say the most likely source remains exposure to infected rodents during excursions in South America — possibly before passengers ever boarded the ship. Hantavirus infections can take weeks before symptoms appear, meaning travelers may have unknowingly carried the virus onboard long before anyone realized something was wrong.
Virus researcher Giulia Gallo said investigators will now need to retrace the movements of infected passengers and determine whether exposure occurred during tourist activities in Argentina or elsewhere along the journey.
But until those answers arrive, uncertainty continues to haunt everyone connected to the voyage.
“They could have picked it up anywhere — I don’t think it came from the ship,” physician Zaid Fadul said, noting that hantavirus can take weeks to show symptoms after exposure. AP
Oceanwide Expeditions, the company operating the ship, says it is “managing a serious medical situation” while working with international health authorities to relocate passengers safely. The vessel is expected to eventually sail toward the Canary Islands, where passengers may finally be screened and allowed to disembark.
For now, however, the MV Hondius remains isolated at sea — a luxury cruise transformed into the center of a medical mystery that authorities are still struggling to fully understand.
All but one strain of the hantavirus is spread through contact with rodents, according to health experts.dpa/picture alliance via Getty Images
