A British national was one of three people evacuated from the cruise ship today.

13:28, Wed, May 6, 2026 Updated: 13:28, Wed, May 6, 2026

CAPE VERDE-HEALTH-TOURISM

Three people, including a Brit, were evacuated this morning (Image: Getty)

Everything you need to know about the hantavirus outbreak on the MV Hondius cruise ship

  • Following a suspected outbreak on the luxury polar cruise ship MV Hondius, three people have died (a Dutch couple and a German national) and several others have fallen severely ill with acute respiratory and gastrointestinal distress.

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  • A leading doctor warned that while hantavirus primarily spreads via contact with infected rodents, the situation is incredibly serious as health authorities investigate potential human-to-human transmission, which is highly rare for this virus.

  • Emergency teams in protective gear were deployed to airlift a critically ill British tourist to an intensive care unit in South Africa, alongside the urgent medical evacuation of two symptomatic crew members.

  • Prime Minister Keir Starmer addressed the crisis, confirming the UK Government is monitoring the situation closely and working with international partners to coordinate assistance for stranded British nationals.

  • Denied docking in Cape Verde to protect public health, the ship’s operator negotiated with Spanish authorities to divert the vessel to the Canary Islands for comprehensive passenger screening.