The expedition cruise ship Hondius, on which An epidemic of hantavirus has spread, causing the Death of three passengers ( of 4 May 2026), is still standing in front of the port of Praia, on the island of Cape Verde, not having the local authorities granted permission to dock. The Dutch company Oceanwide Expeditions has announced that two crew members of British and Dutch nationalities continue to have acute respiratory symptoms, one mild and the other severe, and need urgent medical attention.

For its part, the Ministry of Health of Cape Verde has stated that, instead, the Dutch ship communicated that three people, all passengers, have mild symptoms of virus, without respiratory manifestations, and that all assistance necessary is provided on board the cruise ship. Angela Gomes, national health director, specified that, not Since the clinical status of the patients on board is known, the following were taken several scenarios, including a possible response but, on the basis of the medical assessment carried out, the the need to transfer the patients in hospital since their clinical conditions do not justify. Regarding whether or not the ship remains at Cape Verde, the medical director specified that it is a a situation that involves not only the health sector, but also authorities, and stressed that the measures so far adopted were based on the recommendations of the Regulation international health service, ensuring that the ship is prohibited docking and ensuring the provision of medical care on board without that landings are necessary. Finally, Gomes explained that, given that patients' countries of origin have asked for the possibility of evacuation of the Police Department, the health authorities of Cape Verde expressed their full willingness to cooperate and await a response from the authorities of the Kingdom and the Netherlands for the dispatch, as soon as possible, of an air ambulance for the evacuation of patients on board the ship.

Oceanwide Expeditions has confirmed that the authorities Dutch are preparing the evacuation of two people symptomatic and of the person closely related to the passenger died on 2 May with the use of two aircraft. Confirming then whereas local health authorities visited the ship and assessed the situation, the cruise company specified whereas there are currently 149 people on board the Hondius of 23 nationalities. Oceanwide Expeditions is also taking considering the possibility that the ship will continue its sailing to Las Palmas or Tenerife, where they may be further checks and medical examinations were carried out.

The first death on board the Hondius occurred on April 11. The body was disembarked in Sant'Elena accompanied by his wife who felt ill during the return home and died on April 27. The on the same day another passenger of British nationality became seriously ill and was evacuated to South Africa, where he is currently hospitalized in intensive care in Johannesburg and is in critical but stable condition. The 2 May, another passenger on board died.