Family mourn final ‘beautiful journey’ of couple who died on ‘hantavirus’ cruise

The family of a couple who died after becoming ill on the ‘hantavirus’ cruise ship have said their ‘beautiful journey together has been cut short’.

The Dutch couple, both 69, from Haulerwijk, were both the m/v Hondius, which is currently off the coast of Cape Verde.

Health officials in hazmat suits have landed on the tourist ship to evacuate passengers needing critical medical atention.

One British passenger is fighting for life after testing positive for hantavirus.

Another British crew member on board is a suspected case – he is being evacuated from the vessel, according to the WHO.

In a statement, the family of the Dutch couple said: ‘The beautiful journey they experienced together has been abruptly cut short.

‘We cannot yet comprehend that we have to miss them. We want to bring them home in peace and remember them.

‘We request that the media not share any names, images, or personal details of them or our family.’

Oceanwide Expeditions said the unnamed man died on 11 April, adding the cause of death ‘could not be determined on board’.

His body was kept on board until his wife disembarked on the remote volcanic island of St Helena, about 1,200 miles west of Africa.

Three days later the company were told that the wife had become unwell during the return journey and had later died.

A spokesman said: ‘Both passengers were Dutch nationals. At this time, it has not been confirmed that these two deaths are connected to the current medical situation on board.’

What is hantavirus?

Hantaviruses are a family of rodent-bourne viruses, with each strain tied to a specific host species.

It’s spread when people come into contact with infected droppings, saliva, urine or nesting materials, but is extremely rare, and rarely passed from person to person.

If caught, hantavirus can lead to two main illnesses, one of which affects the lungs (Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome or HPS) and the other which affects the kidneys (Hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome or HFRS).

The incubation period for this illness is generally two to four weeks, according to the government, but can range from as little as two days to as long as eight weeks.

What are the symptoms?

Early symptoms of hantavirus are similar to the flu, and include headaches, dizziness, chills as well as abdominal problems like diarrhoea, vomiting and nausea.

If it progresses into Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome, patients can experience headaches, dizziness, chills and abdominal problems like nausea, vomiting, and diarrhoea.

If you develop Hemorrhagic Fever with Renal Syndrome, initial symptoms will include intense headaches, back and abdominal pain, fever or chills, nausea, and blurred vision.

If the disease progresses, later symptoms include low blood pressure, acute shock (lack of blood flow), internal bleeding, and acute kidney failure, according to the CDC.

Hantavirus can be fatal, so it’s important to keep an eye on symptoms if you believe you’ve been exposed. There is currently no cure for the disease.

The woman died in a hospital in Johannesburg, South Africa, during her return journey to the Netherlands. Her body is currently still in Johannesburg.

Oceanwide Expeditions said there were around 150 crew and passengers stuck on board.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has revealed medical personnel have boarded the MV Hondius cruise ship to evacuate two people.

The WHO believes there may be some human-to-human transmission among close contacts on the vessel.

It adds that the assumption is people were infected off the boat and then rejoined the cruise.