An aerial view of the cruise ship MV Hondius off the port of Praia in Cape Verde on 4 May.
The national health department says four contacts linked to a hantavirus outbreak aboard a cruise ship in the Atlantic Ocean are being monitored in the Western Cape.
The World Health Organisation said earlier this week it was suspected that the virus might have spread between people aboard the MV Hondius cruise ship travelling from Argentina to Cape Verde, and that someone might have boarded already infected.
According to AFP, three people died, and another remained in intensive care following the outbreak. Authorities are also investigating five additional suspected cases among passengers.
The vessel carried 147 people, including 88 passengers and 59 crew members from 23 countries. The ship made several stops across the South Atlantic, including Antarctica, the Falkland Islands, and St Helena.
National health department spokesperson Foster Mohale told News24 that four contacts had been identified in the Western Cape.
He said one individual was presenting with symptoms, including fever and a sore throat.
“National and Gauteng health department contact tracing teams transferred the cases to their Western Cape counterparts with all necessary details and the travel history of the individuals for further handling and activation of contact tracing in the province,” Mohale added.
More to follow.
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