South Africa Monitoring 97 Contacts Linked to Hantavirus Cases, Says Health Minister

Cape Town, May 2026 : South African Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi has confirmed that the number of people identified as possible contacts of hantavirus-infected individuals has risen to 97, as health authorities intensify monitoring efforts following cases linked to a cruise ship outbreak.

Speaking to South African Broadcasting Corporation News on Monday, Motsoaledi said South African authorities were working closely with the World Health Organization (WHO) and the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) to trace and monitor passengers, healthcare workers and airline contacts who may have been exposed to the virus.

“So far, we have identified 97 contacts, 90 of whom have been reached already and advised, and they are being watched,” the minister said. “We will watch them for the whole six weeks.”

According to Motsoaledi, most of the identified contacts are located in Gauteng province, while a smaller number are in the Western Cape.

“Four of the contacts out of these 90 that have been reached are in the Western Cape, 86 are in Gauteng,” he said. “Only one contact in the Western Cape developed some symptoms. But up until Friday, tests for the virus have come back negative.”

The update follows the confirmation of two cases involving the Andes strain of hantavirus in South Africa. The strain is considered particularly concerning because it is the only known hantavirus capable of human-to-human transmission.

The cases were linked to passengers who had travelled aboard the cruise ship MV Hondius, which has been associated with an international outbreak of the disease.

Among the confirmed cases was a British national who was hospitalised in intensive care in Johannesburg after disembarking from the vessel. Another infected passenger, a Dutch woman, collapsed at OR Tambo International Airport after arriving in South Africa and later died.

Authorities said her husband, identified as the “patient zero” in the outbreak, had earlier died aboard the ship. His body was reportedly removed at St Helena.

The MV Hondius departed from Ushuaia in Argentina on April 1 and travelled across the South Atlantic Ocean, making several stops during the voyage.

Globally, the WHO has reported 11 hantavirus-related cases so far, including three deaths. Of the 11 cases, nine have been confirmed as infections caused by the Andes strain, while two others remain classified as probable cases.

The NICD reiterated that the Andes strain remains the only known hantavirus variant capable of spreading between humans, increasing concerns among health authorities over possible secondary transmission.

South African officials said all identified contacts would continue to be closely monitored during the six-week observation period, which corresponds to the virus’s incubation timeline.

Health authorities have urged the public to remain calm while continuing to follow official health advisories and reporting any symptoms immediately for medical evaluation.

(The content of this article is sourced from a news agency and has not been edited by the Mavericknews30 team.)