Hantavirus cruise ship: Another victim identified

Three deaths were reported after a suspected outbreak on a cruise ship named MV Hondius in the Atlantic. Two of them reportedly are Dutch.

Now the identity of the third victim has been revealed: a German national.

The German Foreign Ministry announced that its embassy in Lisbon is in contact to coordinate and respond to the incident.

A total of six passengers were infected – among them, two are in hospital – by the alleged outbreak, according to the World Health Organization, which has stressed that panic is unwarranted as the overall public risk from the hantavirus remains low.

"The risk to the wider public remains low. There is no need for panic or travel restrictions," WHO Regional Director for Europe, Dr. Hans Henri P. Kluge, said in a statement Monday.

"We are acting with urgency to support the response to the hantavirus event on board a cruise vessel in the Atlantic, following the tragic loss of life," he added.

Though the exact source of exposure is immediately unclear, hantavirus is commonly spread through contact with infected rodents or their droppings.

No permission for the cruise ship to dock

MV Hondius, the cruise ship, is still at a standstill at sea for containment measures as authorities mull the next step near Cape Verde, a country in Africa, where it was headed after traveling from Argentina three weeks ago.

However, 149 people – from 23 countries – who are still on board, including two who are seriously ill, are taking strict precautionary measures.

Oceanwide Expeditions, the cruise operator, meanwhile, issued a statement saying the ship may sail to the Canary Islands and dock there.