Hantavirus cruise ship dining rooms were 'packed' even after first death, says passenger

The World Health Organization is investigating a hantavirus outbreak linked to the cruise ship MV Hondius after eight reported cases and three deaths.

According to the WHO, five of the cases have been confirmed as hantavirus. Officials said Thursday that the public health risk remains low while authorities work on plans for passengers to safely leave the ship.

Passenger Ruhi Chenet, who boarded the ship in Argentina on April 1, told CTV News that passengers continued eating together even after the first death onboard.

“People were socializing with each other, we had our meals, breakfast, lunch and dinner all together in the dinning room, sitting side by side. The dining room was packed and fit about 150 people,” Chenet said.

Chenet said the ship’s captain initially told passengers the death “was due to natural causes,” which reassured many onboard.

Infectious disease expert Dr. Isaac Bogoch told CTV National News that hantavirus is well known to scientists and unlikely to become a global crisis similar to COVID-19.

“The likelihood that this is going to turn into a major public health emergency … is obviously very, very low,” epidemiologist Dr. Christopher Labos added.