A passenger aboard the cruise ship MV Hondius, which is dealing with a suspected Hantavirus outbreak, has shared a heartbreaking update as the situation worsens.
Travel influencer Jake Rosmarin, who is stuck on the ship with around 150 others, posted an emotional video saying passengers feel “uncertainty” and are desperate for safety and a way home.
The Dutch cruise liner was denied permission to dock in Cape Verde after requesting emergency assistance. Reports say three passengers have died so far: a Dutch couple and a German national.
One Dutch man, 70, reportedly became ill on April 11 and later died; his wife also died after being transferred to South Africa. The most recent death occurred on May 2 aboard the ship.
Rosmarin stressed that those onboard are “not just headlines,” but real people stranded and afraid.
Hantavirus, according to health authorities, is a rare but serious illness spread through contact with infected rodent droppings, saliva, or urine, and can cause severe respiratory complications or hemorrhagic fever.