Passengers on a cruise ship are trapped at sea after three people died and a British man was left fighting for his life following the outbreak of a rat-borne virus.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) confirmed six suspected cases of a hantavirus infection on the MV Hondius, travelling from Ushuaia in Argentina to Cape Verde in Africa.
A 70-year-old passenger was the first to die followed by his 69-year-old wife. They are both Dutch nationals.
A 69-year-old British man was taken to Johannesburg, South Africa, where he is being treated in intensive care.
The body of the third person to die was last night said to be still on board the ship.
The WHO said last night that it was ‘aware of the cases of severe acute respiratory illness on a cruise ship sailing in the Atlantic’.
It confirmed three passengers had died onboard – with the British man confirmed as the victim of a hantavirus infection – and said it was investigating six suspected cases in total.
Passengers have now told of their hell trapped on the ship – after being ordered to stay on board while ‘awaiting approval’ to disembark.
A letter distributed to customers from cruise company Oceanwide Expeditions yesterday, seen by the Daily Mail, informed them it was ‘awaiting approval’ for passengers to leave the ship.
Remind me not to take that cruise.