A New Zealand passenger who was on board the cruise ship hit by a deadly hantavirus outbreak has left the stricken vessel, according to the World Health Organisation.

In a briefing to media today, World Health Organisation (WHO) Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said it has informed 12 countries whose nationals disembarked MV Hondius, the Dutch cruise ship at the centre of the outbreak sailing in the Atlantic Ocean, which included a passenger from New Zealand.

“WHO has also informed 12 countries whose nationals disembarked in Saint Helena,” Ghebreyesus said.

“Those 12 countries are Canada, Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Singapore, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkiye, the United Kingdom and the United States of America.” 

The ship’s operator Oceanwide Expeditions said 120 guests were on board upon arrival in the island of Saint Helena. 

Of those, 30 people disembarked on April 24, including the individual who died on board on April 11. 

WHO said eight cases have been reported so far, including three deaths. Five of the eight cases have been confirmed as hantavirus. 

NZME has approached Health New Zealand and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT) for comment. 

Another New Zealander is still on board MV Hondius, according to an update from Oceanwide Expeditions earlier this week. 

“None of the remaining passengers or crew on the ship are currently symptomatic,” Ghebreyesus said. 

MFAT told the Herald yesterday the New Zealander on board has not sought consular assistance. 

A Kiwi passenger onboard a cruise ship hit by a deadly hantavirus outbreak has returned home. Pictured here, a plane that left Cape Verde following the evacuation of a cruise ship hit by the hantavirus landed in Spain's Canary Islands on May 6, while a second flight headed for the Netherlands. Photo by Lina Selg / AFP 

“Consular officials in Wellington and in our embassies in the Hague and Madrid continue to engage with our consular partners and local authorities about the situation of the passengers on the MV Hondius. 

“To date, the New Zealander on board has not sought consular assistance. No further information will be shared for privacy reasons.” 

It comes after a passenger told Spanish newspaper El Pais that the people who disembarked in Saint Helena were only contacted about the outbreak this week. 

The first confirmed case of hantavirus was not reported until May 4. 

UK-based correspondent Stuart Smith told RNZ’s Morning Report that the number of people reported to have disembarked the ship in St Helena last month “is getting bigger and bigger” now the WHO has confirmed further details. 

“We know that initially it was reported as 23 passengers, now some sources say at least 30 – and a Dutch says potentially 40 – passengers left the ship in April as part of a planned stop,” Smith said. 

“Then of course, [they] went back to either their homes or continued travelling.” 

An ambulance boat carrying crew members wearing hazmat suits approaches MV Hondius on May 5. Photo / AFP 

Smith said passengers on MV Hondius were from around the world, “and therefore may have brought the virus back home with them”, with one such case has already been confirmed with a Swiss national hospitalised upon return to Switzerland. 

While it’s understood no other passengers have reported exhibiting symptoms, and national governments are characterising the risk to the general population as low, Smith said countries who have had citizens onboard still should err on the side of caution. 

“This is a virus that could spend up to six to eight weeks even before it presents any symptoms ... it could be a while before we know whether or not any of these people did bring back the hantavirus to their home countries,” he said. 

“[WHO] are contact tracing in order to try make sure they know at least where these people are, and those that have been contacted by their national health authorities are usually being advised to self-isolate.” 

What is hantavirus? 

Hantaviruses are a group of viruses carried by rodents that can cause severe disease in humans. 

“People are usually infected through contact with infected rodents or their urine, droppings or saliva,” Ghebreyesus said. 

“The species of hantavirus involved in this case is the Andes virus – which is found in Latin America and is the only species known to be capable of limited transmission between humans. 

“In previous outbreaks of Andes virus, transmission between people has been associated with close and prolonged contact, particularly among household members, intimate partners and people providing medical care. 

“That appears to be the case in the current situation.” 

Professor in molecular virology, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Roger Hewson, said different hantaviruses are found in separate parts of the globe. 

“In the Americas, some hantaviruses can cause hantavirus pulmonary syndrome [HPS], a rare but potentially very severe illness affecting the lungs,” he said. 

“Symptoms can initially be non-specific, including fever, muscle aches, headache and gastrointestinal symptoms, before some patients progress to respiratory illness.” 

University of Otago professor of public health Michael Baker told the Herald that HPS is “very dangerous”, with about a third of the 100 people who contract the disease in Argentina annually dying. 

The most common way to become infected with a hantavirus is by inhaling dust that contains droppings, urine and saliva of infected rodents. 

The human-to-human infection risk is very low, Baker said, although it has been recorded before.