Johannesburg – The Department of Health has revealed that the British national, who fell ill while on a cruise ship and was hospitalised in Sandton, has tested positive for hantavirus.
While the ship was travelling past South African shores, some of the passengers experienced serious health complications arising from what was initially considered severe acute respiratory infections.
The Briton was among the passengers who fell ill.
Despite medical treatment provided to him at Ascension, his condition did not improve and necessitated his medical evacuation to a South African private health facility in Sandton for further medical management.
“His laboratory test results came back positive for Hantavirus – a rare but potentially deadly virus transmitted primarily by rodents,” the department said in a statement on Monday, 4 May 2026.
“The patient is still in critical condition in isolation, but receiving medical attention.”
The department said it has been informed by the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) of the medical condition and reported deaths of passengers of an international cruise ship (MV Hondius) travelling from Southern Argentina to the Canary Islands via Cape Verde.
The ship, carrying about 150 tourists from various countries, had departed Ushuaia, Southern Argentina, for the Canary Islands about three weeks ago.
En route to its destination, the ship went past several islands, including mainland Antarctica, the Falklands, South Georgia, Nightingale Island, Tristan, St Helena, and Ascension.
The department said in terms of medical cases, the first patient was a 70-year-old male passenger who suddenly became ill on the ship enroute from Ushuaia to St Helena Island, and presented with fever, headache, abdominal pain, and diarrhoea.
“Unfortunately, he passed away on arrival at St Helena Island,” the department said.
“His mortal remains are in St Helena, awaiting repatriation to the Netherlands.”
The second affected passenger was a 69-year-old female, the spouse of the first patient, who collapsed at the OR Tambo International Airport while trying to connect a flight to her home country of the Netherlands.
“She was taken to a nearby health facility around Kempton Park for medical attention and, unfortunately, passed away,” revealed the department.
“Laboratory test results for the patient are outstanding.”
The British national was the third passenger to fall ill.
The department said it was working with the NICD and Gauteng Health Department authorities to conduct contact tracing to stop potential spread of the virus by identifying and monitoring individuals who may have been exposed to the infected persons.
“In our view, there is no need for the public to panic because only two patients from the cruise ship have been within our borders,” the department said.
“The World Health Organization is coordinating a multi-country response with all affected islands and countries to contain further spread of the disease.”
