Translation Google Ministry of Health's Post
Ministry of Health
2h ·
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**Health Authorities Monitor Situation of Cruise Ship MV/NV *Hondius* Following Onboard Hantavirus Outbreak**
The Ministry of Health reports that it has been monitoring—since the very first moment—the situation regarding the cruise ship MV/NV *Hondius*, which entered Cape Verdean waters on May 3.
This monitoring began following a notification from international health entities regarding an outbreak of respiratory illness on board, involving severe cases and fatalities.
Following a technical and epidemiological assessment, national health authorities decided **not to authorize the vessel's docking at the Port of Praia.** This decision was made in application of the precautionary principle and in accordance with the International Health Regulations, with the aim of protecting national public health.
The vessel is carrying **147 people**, comprising both passengers and crew members. Of this total, three individuals are presenting symptoms; they have been duly evaluated and attended to by a health team and are currently clinically stable.
Since then, the ship has remained at sea under the constant monitoring of health authorities. Necessary medical assistance is being provided by a team deployed for this purpose—comprising medical specialists, nurses, and laboratory technicians—and hospital response measures have also been prepared to address any potential need for specialized care at the Dr. Agostinho Neto Hospital.
The situation is being duly monitored through coordinated efforts involving the National Directorate of Health, local health structures, the INSP, and maritime and port authorities, with support from WHO Cabo Verde/AFRO, IHR Focal Points, and authorities from the Netherlands and the United Kingdom.
This coordinated approach has enabled a swift, safe, and technically appropriate response, ensuring the clinical monitoring of patients and the preparation of all necessary precautionary measures—including the potential medical evacuation by air ambulance of the patients currently under observation.
We wish to assure the public that the situation is under control, and that, to date, there poses no risk to the population on land. We remain vigilant and in close coordination with national and international entities, ready to adopt any additional measures that may prove necessary.
Updates will be provided as the situation evolves. The National Health Directorate appeals for calm and reaffirms its commitment to transparency, safety, and the protection of everyone's health.
**What is Hantavirus?**
Hantavirus is an acute and severe infectious disease transmitted by wild rodents (rats). Caused by viruses of the genus *Orthohantavirus*, infection occurs primarily through the inhalation of particles from the urine, feces, or saliva of these rodents; it can progress to Hantavirus Cardiopulmonary Syndrome (severe shortness of breath) or, less commonly, renal syndromes.
The inhalation of contaminated particles—for example, while cleaning spaces where rodents are present—is one of the most common modes of infection.
**Other modes of transmission to humans include:**
Percutaneous transmission: through skin abrasions or rodent bites;
Contact between the virus and mucous membranes (conjunctiva, mouth, or nose): via hands contaminated with rodent excretions;
Person-to-person transmission: reported sporadically in Argentina and Chile, always associated with the Andes hantavirus.
The period of hantavirus transmissibility in humans is unknown. Studies suggest that the period of highest viremia occurs during the few days immediately preceding the onset of signs and symptoms.
The virus's incubation period—that is, the time elapsed between infection and the appearance of the first symptoms—averages 1 to 5 weeks, ranging from 3 to 60 days.
The initial signs of infection are often mistaken for the flu: fatigue, fever, and muscle aches. In some cases, headaches, dizziness, chills, and abdominal problems also occur.
However, the disease can progress rapidly. Within a few days, more severe symptoms emerge—such as coughing, shortness of breath, and fluid accumulation in the lungs—which can lead to severe respiratory difficulties.
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