The head of the World Health Organization (WHO) will address the global media Thursday morning as concerns continue to mount over a rare but deadly rodent‑borne virus linked to a fatal outbreak aboard a cruise ship near the Cape Verde Islands.
Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director‑General of the WHO, is set to deliver a 9 a.m. ET briefing on hantavirus, marking the first time the agency has held a dedicated update since the outbreak was confirmed earlier this week.
The briefing comes as international health agencies work to trace infections, investigate transmission, and reassure travellers following a cluster that left three people dead, several others hospitalized, and passengers from more than 20 countries stranded offshore.
The MV Hondius, a Dutch‑flagged expedition vessel, was quarantined near the remote island of St. Helena after passengers began falling ill with fever, gastrointestinal symptoms and rapidly worsening respiratory distress.
WHO officials have said the first infected passenger may have contracted the virus before boarding, but investigations are ongoing.
What hantavirus is — and why it’s dangerous
Seven cases were identified aboard the ship, including two confirmed infections, three deaths, one critically ill patient and several others with mild symptoms. The ship carried 147 passengers and crew from 23 countries, including four Canadians, though Global Affairs Canada says no Canadians were directly affected.
Hantavirus is not new, but it is rare and can be deadly. Infection can lead to hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, a fast‑progressing respiratory illness that can cause fluid buildup in the lungs, respiratory failure and shock.
There is no specific antiviral treatment, and severe cases often require intensive supportive care.
Transmission typically occurs when people inhale particles from rodent droppings or urine — often in cabins, sheds, barns, forests or other enclosed spaces where rodents nest. Human‑to‑human spread is extremely rare and has only been documented in limited circumstances involving specific strains.
In early 2025, Gene Hackman’s wife, Betsy Arakawa, died after contracting the virus at their New Mexico home. Her death remains one of the most widely known hantavirus cases linked to a public figure.