South African health authorities say there is currently no evidence of local hantavirus transmission linked to the recent outbreak aboard the expedition cruise ship MV Hondius, even as Africa faces a growing Ebola emergency in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Uganda.
The hantavirus scare emerged after infected passengers from the vessel, which departed from Argentina in early April, were evacuated or transferred to hospitals in South Africa for emergency treatment.
According to Department of Health spokesperson Foster Mohale, a British patient receiving treatment at a hospital in Sandton is recovering well, while a high-risk contact in the Western Cape tested negative and has since been discharged.
Mohale confirmed that no secondary transmission has been identified in South Africa.
“One additional suspected case connected to the ship has been reported in the Western Cape and remains under investigation,” he said.
Data compiled by Kimberly Panozzo from the University of Toledo indicates that 173 people are believed to have been exposed to hantavirus. Eight cases have been laboratory confirmed and three deaths have been recorded so far.
Ebola outbreak expands in Central Africa
While South Africa’s hantavirus concerns appear to be easing, international health officials are increasingly focused on the spread of Ebola in Central Africa.
Over the weekend, World Health Organisation Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus declared that the Ebola outbreak involving the Bundibugyo ebolavirus strain in the DRC and Uganda now constitutes a Public Health Emergency of International Concern.
The declaration falls short of a pandemic classification but signals growing concern among global health authorities over the potential for wider regional spread.
“As of 16 May, eight laboratory-confirmed cases, 246 suspected cases and 80 suspected deaths have been reported in Ituri province of the Democratic Republic of the Congo,” Tedros said.
The affected areas include the health zones of Bunia, Rwampara and Mongbwalu.
Uganda has also reported two laboratory-confirmed Ebola cases in Kampala within a 24-hour period between 15 and 16 May. One of those patients died.
Health officials said the two Ugandan cases did not appear to be directly linked, although both individuals had recently travelled from the DRC.
Regional spread risk remains high
The latest Ebola outbreak has revived concerns over cross-border disease transmission in Central and East Africa, particularly due to high levels of regional mobility and trade.
According to the WHO, neighbouring countries sharing borders with the DRC are considered at elevated risk because of population movement, commercial transport routes and ongoing uncertainty surrounding the outbreak’s scale.
The Bundibugyo strain of Ebola is less common than the Zaire strain responsible for some previous major outbreaks, but it remains highly dangerous and can cause severe haemorrhagic fever with significant fatality rates.
The DRC has experienced multiple Ebola outbreaks over the past two decades, including the deadly 2018–2020 epidemic in the eastern part of the country that killed thousands and required extensive international intervention.
Tedros said international cooperation would be critical to containing the current outbreak.
“The event requires international coordination and cooperation to understand the extent of the outbreak, coordinate surveillance and response efforts, and strengthen operations to ensure effective control measures,” he said.
The WHO confirmed that an emergency committee will soon be established to advise on temporary recommendations and containment measures related to the Ebola outbreak in both the DRC and Uganda.
Source: Adapted from international health and WHO reports.
