Footage shows passengers on MV Hondius become aware about the death of one of their fellow tourists – and since then others have died following the hantavirus outbreak
This is the moment passengers on the hantavirus-hit cruise ship were told the environment was “not infectious” following the first death.
Staff aboard the Dutch MV Hondius gathered passengers to inform them of a fellow tourist who died in the incident linked to the deadly outbreak. Three passengers have died on board after it departed from Argentina and began to cross the Atlantic about a month ago.
“It is my sad duty to inform you that one of our passengers sadly passed away last night,” a staff member on board the ship told passengers following the first death. “Tragic as it is, it was due to natural causes we believe and whatever issues, I am told by the doctor with were not infectious.
“So, the ship is safe when it comes to that. Of course it is a very, very sad circumstance that will have an effect on our operation.
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“The ship is safe,” a staff member on board the ship said. “This gentleman unfortunately succumbed to natural causes. We’ll do everything we can to continue in a safe and dignified way.”
Some 150 people from 23 countries remain on the vessel which is stranded close to Cape Verde, off the coast of west Africa. Health officials are now testing passengers to see how far it has spread.
Three other passengers who displayed symptoms of hantavirus were evacuated from the ship in order to receive treatment in the Netherlands, the World Health Organisation (WHO) announced today. WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the overall risk to the public remained low.
He added: “Monitoring and follow-up for passengers on board and for those who have already disembarked has been initiated.”
Spanish officials said the ship could sail to the Canary Islands, although its president Fernando Clavijo slammed the move from Madrid.
