May 6, 2026
How a Deadly Hantavirus Outbreak Unfolded on a Cruise Ship for Weeks Before It Was Identified
CAPE TOWN, South Africa (AP)—A deadly outbreak of the rare hantavirus unfolded over the course of weeks on a cruise ship that sailed from Argentina toward Antarctica and then across the Atlantic Ocean, stopping at or near remote islands on the way as passengers and crew members fell sick, according to information from the cruise […]
TL;DR
- A deadly hantavirus outbreak occurred on a cruise ship.
- The ship sailed from Argentina toward Antarctica and across the Atlantic.
- It took nearly a month for hantavirus infections to be confirmed in South Africa after the first death.
- Three passengers have died, one is in intensive care, and three more have symptoms.
- The ship had nearly 150 passengers and crew from 23 countries and is waiting off the coast of West Africa.