A stranded cruise ship passenger is sharing the latest statement amid the hantavirus outbreak.
Jake Rosmarin, a travel blogger from Boston, was aboard the Dutch ship M/V Hondius, which was on a multi-week polar voyage from Argentina to Antarctica and several isolated islands in the South Atlantic when the deadly outbreak occurred.
“All we want now is to feel safe, sane and go home,” Rosmarin said in a tearful video he shared on Instagram on Monday.
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Rosmarin shared an updated statement with Fox News Digital on Tuesday.
“Except for the two sick passengers mentioned in the media, everyone else on board is in good condition and in good spirits,” Rosmarin said. “We hope this situation can be resolved as soon as possible.”
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Travel blogger Jake Rosmarin sailed across the South Atlantic aboard the M/V Hondius in early April.
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Rosmarin praised Oceanwide Expeditions staff for “doing their best” to ensure passengers are “safe, informed and as comfortable as possible during this time”.
The passenger also pointed out that the M/V Hondius is not a traditional cruise ship but an expedition ship.
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“These vessels operate under strict protocols and take cleanliness very seriously, particularly given the remote and environmentally sensitive areas they visit which require a high level of biosecurity,” he said. “The vessel is maintained to very high standards and the suggestion that it is unclean is not accurate.”
Rosmarin also detailed the safety measures in place on board the ship, including social distancing and wearing masks.
On May 4, 2026, the MV Hondius cruise ship anchored in a port in Praia, Cape Verde.
“Passengers also have the option of having meals delivered directly to their cabin,” he said. “Exterior deck access for fresh air is allowed, but gatherings in indoor public areas such as lounges are currently restricted.”
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“We continue to be well cared for and additional medical supplies and supplies have been brought on board.”
Rosmarin said he still hopes the situation can be resolved soon.
The ship was originally scheduled to depart Argentina on April 1. The first illness and death occurred on April 11, and the ship arrived at St. Helena on April 22 with the first victim on board.
Hantaviruses include virus group Mainly carried by rodents, it can cause severe respiratory or kidney disease in humans.
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The World Health Organization confirms that a total of 7 cases have been reported (2 confirmed and 5 suspected), including 3 deaths. Two crew members are currently reportedly ill and one passenger has been evacuated to intensive care in South Africa.
3D illustration showing the structure of a hantavirus, an RNA virus that is transmitted to humans through rodent excrement and can cause severe illness, including hemorrhagic fever, nephropathy, and hantavirus pulmonary syndrome.
The WHO said the agency was still investigating the outbreak as the ship remained off the coast of Cape Verde, noting that human-to-human transmission was uncommon and there was not a high risk to the general public.
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“We do believe that some human-to-human transmission may be occurring between really close contacts, husbands and wives, people sharing cabins,” Maria Van Kerkhove, director of epidemic and pandemic preparedness and prevention at the World Health Organization, told reporters in Geneva.
Fox News Digital reached out to the cruise line for comment.
Original source of the article: Trapped cruise ship passengers share update on ship cleaning amid deadly hantavirus outbreak