In the state containing the three busiest cruise ports in the world, a deadly virus outbreak onboard an Atlantic-sailing cruise undoubtedly sent shivers throughout Florida’s industry worth tens of billions annually.
Hantavirus, caused by contact with rodent droppings, has been confirmed as the cause of two deaths and suspected in a third death among 147 passengers and crew traveling onboard the vessel, MV Hondius — a 175-passenger capacity cruise ship operated by a Netherlands-based line, Oceanwide Expeditions, and not related to any Florida-based lines.
To have an outbreak on a cruise ship is “very unusual,” said Dr. Nicole M Iovine, a clinical professor in the Division of Infectious Diseases & Global Medicine at the University of Florida College of Medicine and chief hospital epidemiologist at UF Health in Gainesville.
“Most hantavirus, certainly in the United States, we see in the American Southwest, that’s where probably 70% or so of the cases typically occur,” she said. “New Mexico, Arizona, Southern California and Colorado.”
Another person from the ship is now in intensive care and confirmed as sick from a hantavirus infection. Three other suspected cases remain on board, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). The organization that monitors global health was reporting late in the day May 4 that a total of seven people, including the deceased, had been affected, with two confirmed as having hantavirus and five suspected.
The Dutch-flagged expedition cruise ship departed in Ushuaia, Argentina in early April, traveled through the South Atlantic with destination stops of Antarctica, South Georgia Island, Tristan da Cunha and St. Helena before heading toward Cape Verde. The vessel was anchored early Tuesday off the port of Praia, in the West African nation of Cape Verde, but had not docked. Passengers have not received permission by local officials to disembark.
What are the symptons of a hantavirus infection?
The outbreak, first manifested in one adult male as fever, headache and mild diarrhea on April 6, recalls the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, when stricken ships were refused permission to enter ports. The Hondius was denied docking and remained the anchored off the coast of Praia, Cape Verde in Africa until Tuesday morning, according to Cruisemapper.com.
The disease, primarily acquired from inhaling dried particles of dried droppings or urine from infected rodents, also grabbed headlines in February 2025 when Gene Hackman’s wife, Betsy Arakawa, died from it, leaving Hackman to die unattended from heart disease and Alzheimer’s a week later at their Santa Fe home.
The outbreak prompted the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) to issue a statement saying none of its member cruise lines have any hantavirus cases and that rates of general sickness among its members are comparable or lower than land-based settings. The cruise industry has become a $24 billion industry in Florida, according to the latest counts.
“The global cruise industry maintains comprehensive health, sanitation, and medical protocols designed to protect the health and well-being of passengers and crew, and CLIA-member cruise lines are required to adhere to policies that go well beyond regulatory requirements,” the statement said.
What is hantavirus?
Hantavirus is an infection that is usually transmitted by direct contact rodent to rodent. Infection spreads when an infected rodent shares a nest, fights or grooms with others, according to the Centers for Disease Control. Humans can get it if they are bitten by a rodent, but that’s rare.
“The typical story of a hantavirus patient is somebody who is living in the Southwest of the United States, and they’re spring cleaning their cabin, and they’re stirring up the dust that has the hantavirus particles in it and so in that setting, you a couple of people could get sick if a couple of people were in the house at that time,” UF’s Iovine said.
What is the death rate of the hantavirus?
The virus has a high mortality rate if the infection develops into hantavirus pulmonary syndrome — about 40%, Iovine said. That compares to the 5.7% mortality rate of COVID-19 when it first hit in 2020.
“If the patients develop what’s called hantavirus pulmonary, that is extremely severe — even with all the maximal interventions,” Iovine said. “It’s pretty terrible.”
Patient 2, a close contact of the first fatality, went ashore with the body April 24 and died two days later. Her condition deteriorated on a flight to Johannesburg, South Africa and she died in a hospital emergency department upon her arrival.
How can hantavirus be prevented?
When cleaning in high-risk areas, or in a closed area where cleaning is being done, an N95 mask should be worn, Iovine recommends.
Iovine said her professional expertise keeps her from going aboard a cruise ship, but not because of anything as exotic as the hantavirus.
“I would never get on a cruise ship under any circumstances because of the norovirus,” she said.
Norovirus is a highly contagious virus that causes gastrointestinal distress.
Anne Geggis is statewide reporter for the USA TODAY NETWORK FLORIDA, reporting on health and senior issues. If you have news tips, please send them to ageggis@usatodayco.com. You can get all of Florida’s best content directly in your inbox each weekday by signing up for the free newsletter, Florida TODAY, at https://palmbeachpost.com/newsletters
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Is ship’s deadly outbreak sending chills down Florida’s cruise industry?
Reporting by Anne Geggis, USA TODAY NETWORK – Florida / Palm Beach Post
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