Third British citizen infected with hantavirus after cruise ship outbreak

A third British national has been confirmed infected with hantavirus, British authorities told the BBC on Thursday, bringing the total number of UK cases linked to a cruise ship outbreak to three.

The individual is currently on Tristan da Cunha, a remote island in the South Atlantic, where the expedition vessel MV Hondius made a stop in mid-April, according to reports. Two other British citizens previously diagnosed with the virus were evacuated from the ship on Wednesday.

Cases have also been detected in the US and Switzerland among former passengers of the Dutch-registered MV Hondius, which departed Argentina on 1 April for a week-long polar expedition to Antarctica. Three people have died and multiple others have fallen ill in the suspected outbreak, which struck during the voyage.

The ship, which initially carried around 150 people from roughly 20 countries, is now en route to Tenerife, Spain, with an expected arrival on 10 May.

Hantavirus is a rare but potentially severe infection typically spread through contact with rodent urine, droppings, or saliva. Symptoms can include fever, muscle pain, and in severe cases, respiratory failure.