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WHO reports six confirmed hantavirus cases tied to Spain-bound cruise

The ship had 147 passengers and crew on board when the outbreak was ​first ​reported on May 2, while ⁠34 others had already left the vessel.

2 min read May 9, 2026 05:06 AM IST First published on: May 9, 2026 at 05:05 AM IST

Passengers on the the hantavirus-stricken cruise ship, MV Hondius, watch epidemiologists board the boat in Praia, during their voyage to Spain's port of Tenerife. (Photo: AP)

The World Health Organization said on Friday that eight people had fallen ill, including three who died, in a hantavirus outbreak linked to a cruise ship, with six confirmed cases and two probable cases.

Here are some details:

Six of the cases have been confirmed ⁠as ​Andes virus, a type of hantavirus, through PCR testing, the WHO said.

The ship had 147 passengers and crew on board when the outbreak was ​first ​reported on May 2, while ⁠34 others had already left the vessel.

Four patients remain hospitalized in South Africa,…