Suspected Outbreak of Rare Hantavirus Kills 3 Onboard Cruise Ship

CENTRAL ATLANTIC OCEAN -A Dutch cruise ship with nearly 150 people aboard was waiting for help on Monday after a suspected outbreak of the rare hantavirus killed three passengers and left at least three others seriously ill.

The MV Hondius, which was on a weekslong polar cruise, had requested help from local health authorities on Sunday after making its way to the island of Cape Verde, off the coast of West Africa, but no one has yet been allowed to disembark.

There are 88 passengers and 61 crew members, two of whom are sick, onboard.

The three passengers to die were from the Netherlands and Germany. The German remains on board. A British man is in intensive care in South Africa.