Passengers plead for clarity as virus-hit cruise remains stranded off Cape Verde

By Rédaction Africanews with AFP

A passenger aboard the MV Hondius has made an emotional appeal from the quarantined cruise ship, as it remains anchored off Cape Verde following a deadly suspected hantavirus outbreak.

Jake Rosmarin, speaking from onboard, described the fear and uncertainty facing those still confined to the vessel.

“What’s happening right now is very real for all of us here. We’re not just a story, we’re not headlines, we are people — people with families, with lives, with people waiting for us at home,” he said.

“There’s a lot of uncertainty, and that’s the hardest part. All we want right now is to feel safe, to have clarity, and to get home,” he added.

The Dutch-operated vessel remains under strict monitoring after three passengers died and several others fell ill in what health authorities believe is a hantavirus outbreak — a rare disease typically transmitted through contact with infected rodent droppings.

Passengers have been isolating in their cabins as health officials coordinate next steps. Emergency evacuations are being arranged for critically ill individuals, while the ship is expected to sail to Spain’s Canary Islands once conditions allow.

The situation has prompted an international response, with health agencies, including scientists in South Africa, carrying out testing and sequencing to better understand the outbreak.

For those still onboard, however, the wait continues — marked by uncertainty, isolation and a growing desire to return home.

“If you’re seeing coverage about this, just remember that there are real people behind it… this isn’t something happening somewhere far away. It’s happening to us right now,” Rosmarin said.

“For now, I just ask for your kindness.”