Four people in the Western Cape are being monitored after being identified through contact tracing following possible hantavirus exposure linked to the MV Hondius cruise ship.
The cruise ship, travelling from Argentina to Cape Verde, carried 147 people from 23 countries and made several stops across the South Atlantic, including St Helena.
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Department of Health spokesperson Foster Mohale said the four people are among the passengers who travelled from St Helena Island to Cape Town on 25 April.
Of the four individuals in the Western Cape, Mohale said that one is showing mild symptoms, including a fever and sore throat.
“For now, it is too early to conclude that this person has hantavirus because the signs and symptoms are similar to those of COVID-19. We have taken this person for laboratory testing, and we are waiting for the results.”
Mohale said the Department has traced about 50 of the 82 passengers on the Airlink flight from St Helena Island to Johannesburg, and 10 of them are being monitored in Gauteng.
He noted that the government is taking a cautious approach, and the broader public remains at low risk for now.
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“We are 100% ready. We learned valuable lessons during our response to COVID-19 and in the post-COVID-19 period.”
As of 8 May 2026, the World Health Organisation (WHO) had reported eight confirmed hantavirus cases linked to the cruise ship, with three deaths so far.
Chante Ho Hip
www.ewn.co.za