A person suspected of being infected with the hantavirus onboard the MV Hondius cruise ship has been evacuated. New haunting pictures now show the grave seriousness of the situation.

On Wednesday, the Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO), Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, shared pictures of a patient suspected of hantavirus infection being brought off the cruise ship MV Hondius, which has been anchored off the coast of Cape Verde.

Nearly 150 passengers and crew remain stuck aboard the vessel.

Ghebreyesus wrote on X, “Three suspected hantavirus case patients have just been evacuated from the ship and are on their way to receive medical care in the Netherlands in coordination with.”

“WHO, the ship’s operator and national authorities from Cabo Verde, the United Kingdom, Spain, and the Netherlands. WHO continues to work with the ship’s operators to closely monitor the health of passengers and crew, working with countries to support appropriate medical follow-up and evacuation where needed.”

The post continued, “Monitoring and follow-up for passengers on board and for those who have already disembarked has been initiated in collaboration with the ship’s operators and national health authorities. WHO thanks all those involved. At this stage, the overall public health risk remains low.”

Disturbing photo of suspected hantavirus patient being evacuated from plagued cruise ship
Three people have been believed to have been affected on the vessel and have been evacuated from the Ducht-flagged ship. Three people have already died.

Pictures show how one patient, dressed in a full-protective suit, is transferred from an ambulance into a medical aircraft, with police officers in hazmat suits stationed at the port in the Cape Verde capital of Praia.

Meanwhile, an ambulance boat transported patients between the ship and the port.

Officials have revealed that the evacuated patients are a 56-year-old British national, a 65-year-old German, and a 41-year-old Dutchman. One of the patients is said to be the ship’s doctor, who had previously been listed in “serious condition.” Luckily, per Spain’s health ministry, he had shown signs of improvement.

So what is next? While the crew and passengers onboard the MV Hindius aren’t showing any symptoms at this time, the ship is expected to continue sailing to Tenerife in the Canary Islands. There, passengers will be allowed to disembark.

According to Spanish Health Minister Monica Garcia, non-Spanish passport holders will be immediately transferred to their home countries upon arrival in the Canary Islands and will not be required to remain in Spain.

Person-to-person transmission rare
Health experts believe the virus may have originated from contact with animals, especially rodents, during land travel. Hantavirus is usually spread through rat or mouse urine, droppings, or saliva.

However, no rodents have been found on the ship. Because of this, experts are also looking at whether the virus could have spread from person to person, which is rare but possible with a specific type called the Andes virus. This type is very dangerous and kills about 40% of infected people.

While person-to-person transmission is possible, the WHO says such cases are considered rare.