The World Health Organisation (WHO) has declared a hantavirus outbreak among cruise ship passengers over almost three months after the first recorded case.
Three people died and 13 were infected after coming into contact with the Andes virus, a rare hantavirus strain, during a cruise on MV Hondius.
The cruise departed Argentina for Cape Verde on 1 April before it was hit by a severe outbreak of hantavirus.
Hantaviruses are a group of viruses carried by rodents such as mice and rats and transmitted through their droppings and urine.
On Thursday, WHO officials announced that the last identified contact of an exposed person had completed quarantine and tested negative for the virus.
“Among the confirmed cases admitted to hospital, eight have recovered and been discharged, while two, one in South Africa and one in France, continue to be hospitalised,” said WHO.
No new cases of hantavirus linked to the cruise ship outbreak have been reported since 25 May.
Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, director general of WHO, wrote on X: “The hantavirus outbreak is over.
“However, WHO will continue working with governments and partners to advance our understanding of the cause of this outbreak and of hantavirus more generally.
“My thanks to all countries that supported the response, in line with the International Health Regulations: Argentina, Cabo Verde, Chile, the Netherlands, South Africa, the United Kingdom. Muchas gracias to Spain for showing incredible solidarity in supporting the safe disembarkation and repatriation of passengers and crew in Tenerife.”
MV Hondius was cleared to resume sailing in mid-June.
Oceanwide Expeditions confirmed in a statement that all voyages “from 13 June onwards will proceed as scheduled”.
The expedition cruise operator added: “No further disruption to the sailing schedule of m/v Hondius is expected.”
The Dutch public health service said in an update on 30 May: “From a public health perspective, there are no longer any obstacles to putting the ship Hondius into operation. This is evident from the final inspection of the ship on Friday, May 29.”
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