The cruise ship MV Hondius is anchored off the coast of Cape Verde. According to reports, three passengers have died so far – and in two of the cases, the rare hantavirus has been confirmed as the cause.

The Dutch cruise ship MV Hondius, operated by Oceanwide Expeditions, departed Ushuaia in southern Argentina on March 20 for a several-week voyage with planned stops at islands in the Atlantic.

But the voyage took a dramatic turn when a passenger in his 70s reportedly fell ill and later died after experiencing symptoms including fever, headache, and diarrhea.

The first confirmed death occurred on April 11, when a Dutch man died. His wife also fell ill and was hospitalized, but her life could not be saved. Blood tests later confirmed she was infected with hantavirus.

What is hantavirus?

According to the CDC, the disease is transmitted to humans through “contact with rodents like rats and mice, especially when exposed to their urine, droppings, and saliva.”

On Saturday, a third passenger died. The body remains on board, according to a source cited by AFP.

Meanwhile, a second confirmed case of hantavirus involves a British man who was evacuated to South Africa on April 27. He is currently being treated in isolation in an intensive care unit and is reported to be in critical condition.

No one on board is allowed to leave the ship

In addition to the confirmed cases, more people are suspected of being infected. The World Health Organization (WHO) is now investigating whether the virus may have spread between people.