How did the hantavirus cruise ship outbreak start?

A Dutch couple is believed to have contracted the virus in Ushuaia, Argentina, while visiting a landfill during a bird-watching tour before boarding the cruise ship, two Argentine officials told the Associated Press.

On April 6, five days after the MV Hondius departed from Argentina, a man began showing symptoms of fever, headache and mild diarrhea, according to the WHO. By April 11, the man had developed respiratory problems and died on board.

His body was removed from the ship while it was docked in Saint Helena, an island on the Atlantic Ocean, on April 24. His disembarked from the boat with gastrointestinal symptoms on the same day, according to the Associated Press.

The woman’s symptoms “deteriorated” as she flew to Johannesburg April 25, per the WHO. She died on April 26 upon her arrival at a local hospital.

She was 69, while her husband was 70 years old, per The New York Times. 

Who died in the hantavirus cruise ship outbreak?

In addition to the couple, a female passenger with “presentation of pneumonia” died on May 2, per the WHO. Prior to her death, she reported symptoms of fever and a general unwell on April 28.