According to local media, Oceanwide Expeditions confirmed that a Danish citizen was aboard the MV Hondius cruise ship, which experienced a Hantavirus outbreak, before leaving the ship on April 24 when it stopped in St. Helena.
Media outlets indicated that the ship's operator announced this information on Thursday in a press release, days after monitoring developments in the spread of infection on board the cruise.
The Danish passenger is in self-isolation.
Danish media reported that the Danish citizen has returned to Denmark and is currently in self-quarantine as a precautionary measure, while health authorities monitor potential contacts.
Reports indicated that authorities have not yet announced a confirmed case of infection in the Danish passenger.
The virus's incubation period can last for weeks.
According to information from international health centers, the incubation period for the Hanta virus varies from case to case, and usually ranges between one week and four weeks, but in some rare cases it may extend to six or even eight weeks, which is approximately 45 to 60 days.
This means that some people may not show symptoms until a relatively long time after exposure to the virus.
A virus different from Corona
Hantavirus differs from coronavirus in terms of its method of transmission and the likelihood of it turning into a global pandemic.
The virus is typically transmitted through rodents, particularly by inhaling particles contaminated with rodent urine or droppings, and does not spread as easily between humans as COVID-19. The World Health Organization and health experts indicate that only the Andes strain has shown, in limited cases, the potential for human-to-human transmission through very close contact.
Although the virus can be dangerous and cause severe complications in the lungs or kidneys and can sometimes lead to death, international health authorities maintain that the risk of it turning into a global pandemic remains low.
The ship remained near Cape Verde for several days
Local media reported that the MV Hondius remained for several days near the Cape Verde Islands before continuing its voyage northward toward the Canary Islands.
List of passengers who left the ship
Oceanwide Expeditions explained that it shared a list of the nationalities of 30 passengers who left the ship on the island of St. Helena.
Earlier reports had mentioned the departure of about 40 passengers, but the company later clarified that the actual number was less than that.
The media added that the 30 passengers left the ship on April 24, less than two weeks after a Dutch man died on board the cruise.
The infection was confirmed later.
Media reports indicated that Oceanwide Expeditions had previously stated only that the wife of the deceased Dutch man had left the ship in St. Helena with his body.
But it later emerged that the 30 passengers had left before final confirmation that the deaths and injuries on board were linked to the Hanta virus.
The company confirmed that the official announcement of the presence of the virus among the deceased and infected was issued on May 4.
The company contacted all departing passengers.
Oceanwide Expeditions said all passengers who left the ship in St. Helena were subsequently contacted.
However, the company clarified that it currently does not know the whereabouts of these passengers around the world.
The company added that the deceased Dutch man was among the list of thirty passengers who left the ship.
Local media reported that his wife also died a few days later in South Africa.
114 passengers participated in the cruise.
Media reports indicated that the number of passengers aboard the MV Hondius at the start of the cruise was 114.
Details of the nationalities of departing passengers
Oceanwide Expeditions explained that the list of passengers who disembarked in St. Helena included:
One passenger from Denmark.
Two passengers from Canada.
Two passengers from the Czech Republic.
One passenger from Germany.
Seven passengers from Britain.
One passenger from St. Kitts and Nevis.
Three passengers from the Netherlands.
One passenger from New Zealand.
One passenger from Singapore.
One passenger from Sweden.
Two passengers from Türkiye.
Six passengers from the United States.
Two passengers whose nationality is unknown.
The ship continues its journey towards the Canary Islands
Local media added that the MV Hondius ship had left the Cape Verde area and was currently en route to the Canary Islands.
