Hantavirus Cases Strand Cruise Ship MV Hondius Near Cape Verde, Killing Three

A luxury cruise ship with around 150 passengers from 23 countries remains stranded near Cape Verde off Africa's west coast after hantavirus cases killed three people on board.

American travel vlogger Jake Rosmarin, tearful in a TikTok video, said, "We're not just a story. We're not just headlines, we're people with families, with lives, with people waiting for us at home." He called the uncertainty the hardest part and said all passengers wanted was safety, clarity and a way home.

The MV Hondius left Ushuaia, Argentina—the world's southernmost city—on April 1 for a voyage through remote Atlantic spots including South Georgia and Tristan da Cunha. Rosmarin had posted excited videos of fresh snow on mountains, autumn shoreline colors, wildlife, birdwatching, penguin spotting and iced lattes on board.

Trouble started April 11 when a Dutch man died of an unknown cause. Nearly two weeks later, his body was removed in St. Helena, and his wife, 69, was evacuated to South Africa, where she died in a Johannesburg hospital. The World Health Organization confirmed she had hantavirus.

On April 27, a British passenger fell ill and was evacuated to South Africa in critical but stable condition with hantavirus. A German national died May 2, raising the death toll to three; it is unclear if hantavirus caused that death.

Two confirmed and five suspected hantavirus cases have appeared among passengers. The disease, rare but severe, spreads mainly from rodents. Health authorities are testing passenger samples, and the WHO said it may have spread on board.

Cape Verde officials denied port clearance earlier this week, leaving the ship anchored nearby. Crew seek a safe docking spot. Oceanwide Expeditions, the operator, said the atmosphere stays calm with passengers composed. The company works to clarify the situation, reassure guests and speed up disembarkation and medical screening.

Crew members report two cases of acute respiratory symptoms, one mild and one severe, requiring urgent care. Spanish authorities stand ready to assist with medical attention, analysis and disinfection if needed, though they gave no word on disembarkation.

Passenger Kasem Hato, another travel influencer, said the situation was overblown, partly due to one panicking person's video circulating in media—a reference to Rosmarin. He posted that 148 of 149 people stayed calm, the situation was under control and passengers wished the sick a speedy recovery. Hato told the BBC people passed time reading, watching movies and drinking hot beverages.

Rosmarin followed up online, saying it took time to settle his emotions but everyone was doing okay. He felt well, got fresh air, stayed well fed and cared for by crew, and tried to focus on the positive.

An anonymous passenger told the BBC they prepared for three to four more days at sea with no clear departure time. Staff asked passengers to social distance, wear masks inside and sanitize hands often. Footage showed health workers in protective gear leaving the ship and empty lounges.

Almost one month after the first death, daily life continued under restrictions on the vessel that promised a trip of a lifetime through the Atlantic's rugged, untouched areas.