Connect with us

World

Cruise ship outbreak leaves 3 dead as officials delay medical evacuations and probe hantavirus threat

Published

on

Cruise ship outbreak leaves 3 dead as officials delay medical evacuations and probe hantavirus threat

NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!

A suspected hantavirus outbreak aboard a cruise ship in the Atlantic Ocean has left three people dead and several others ill, the World Health Organization (WHO) said in a statement posted to X.

The U.N. health agency said one case of hantavirus infection has been laboratory confirmed, while five additional suspected cases are pending. Of the six people affected, three have died and one is currently in intensive care in South Africa.

The WHO said it is coordinating with governments and the ship’s operator to arrange the medical evacuation of two symptomatic passengers, while continuing to assess the public health risk to those still on board.

“Detailed investigations are ongoing, including further laboratory testing, and epidemiological investigations,” the WHO said. “Medical care and support are being provided to passengers and crew. Sequencing of the virus is also ongoing.”

Advertisement

WHAT IS HANTAVIRUS, THE CAUSE OF GENE HACKMAN’S WIFE’S DEATH?

The cruise ship MV Hondius is stationary off the port of Praia, Cape Verde, on May 3, 2026. An outbreak of severe acute respiratory illness on board the ship has resulted in two deaths and one patient in intensive care in Johannesburg, South Africa. The patient tested positive for hantavirus, according to South African health officials. (AFP/Getty Images)

The outbreak is linked to the m/v Hondius, a Dutch-flagged cruise ship sailing in the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of West Africa.

Oceanwide Expeditions, which operates the vessel, confirmed that three passengers died during the voyage and that one passenger is being treated in intensive care in Johannesburg.

Two crew members on board also require urgent medical care, the company said.

Advertisement

LEGIONNAIRES’ DISEASE OUTBREAK LINKED TO CRUISE SHIP HOT TUBS, CDC SAYS

The cruise ship MV Hondius is stationary off the port of Praia, Cape Verde, on May 3, 2026, amid an outbreak of severe acute respiratory illness that has caused two deaths and left a third patient in intensive care in Johannesburg, South Africa. The patient tested positive for hantavirus, according to South African health officials. (AFP via Getty Images)

As of late Sunday, authorities in Cape Verde had not authorized the disembarkation of passengers requiring medical treatment or broader medical screening, according to the company.

Local health officials have boarded the vessel to assess the situation but have not yet approved the transfer of symptomatic individuals to facilities on land.

“The priority of Oceanwide Expeditions is to ensure that the two symptomatic individuals on board receive adequate and expedited medical care,” the company said.

Advertisement

GENE HACKMAN’S HOME FOUND TO BE INFESTED WITH RODENTS AFTER WIFE DIED OF HANTAVIRUS

A 3D illustration shows the structure of hantavirus, an RNA virus transmitted to humans through rodent excreta that can cause severe illnesses including hemorrhagic fever, renal disease, and hantavirus pulmonary syndrome. (iStock)

Dutch authorities are working to coordinate the repatriation of those affected from Cape Verde to the Netherlands, though the effort depends on approval from local officials, Oceanwide Expeditions said. 

Hantavirus infections are typically linked to exposure to infected rodents’ urine or feces and can lead to severe respiratory illness.

“While rare, hantavirus may spread between people, and can lead to severe respiratory illness and requires careful patient monitoring, support and response,” WHO said.

Advertisement

There is no specific cure for the virus, though early treatment can improve survival.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

WHO said it has notified global health authorities under international regulations and is continuing to support the response.

“We are currently establishing the full facts and working on appropriate medical care, screening, and next steps,” Oceanwide Expeditions said.

Advertisement

World

Video: Ebola Comes for Congo’s Most Vulnerable Children

Published

on

Video: Ebola Comes for Congo’s Most Vulnerable Children

new video loaded: Ebola Comes for Congo’s Most Vulnerable Children

transcript

transcript

Ebola Comes for Congo’s Most Vulnerable Children

The arrival of a sick newborn at Saint Nicholas Orphanage in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo set off an Ebola outbreak that quickly spread among the country’s most vulnerable. Local health authorities are now monitoring the children’s home, but at least two babies have already died.

These Congolese children are re-entering the world after five days of isolation. It’s the first year of their lives, and they’re at the center of a deadly Ebola outbreak. The babies are all orphans who were brought to this hospital after showing symptoms of the virus. They’ve just tested negative and are being taken to a temporary home. But at least two other babies from the same orphanage have died. What happened to them has been a worst-case scenario for health officials trying to stop Ebola from spreading to young children. The alarms went off in late May here at Saint Nicholas children’s home after the arrival of a newborn girl, Patience, who quickly developed a fever. We were given a tour of the orphanage, where nearly 70 children plus their caretakers live. A pediatrician tracked baby Patience’s mother’s case and learned that she had Ebola when she died. Days later, Patience died, too. She was 9 days old. This was one of the last photos taken of her while she was still alive. It’s unclear whether the family knew she could be infected. The relative who brought her to Saint Nicholas declined to talk to us when we reached him by phone. By the time anyone at the orphanage understood the danger, some of the staff had already held and cared for Patience. Soon, more children were showing symptoms of the virus. When we visited the Ebola treatment ward, this 10-month-old seemed to be getting better. Baby Elysée was being cared for by Sister Cecile Nube, one of three staff members at the orphanage who also tested positive. Even while sick herself, Sister Nube stayed by Elysée’s side, feeding her, giving her medicine and watching over her. Elisée died 24 hours after we met her. A reminder of how quickly the disease can turn, especially for babies. Now Saint Nicholas is under quarantine. Every day, contact tracers visit the orphanage, checking the children and their caretakers for fevers. “Some of them today are presenting a little bit higher temperature, but they are OK at the moment.” The concern is that one infection here could quickly become many. “It could have been a recipe of disaster. It’s a very classic situation where Ebola can very fastly devastate the community. They are playing together and they are spending the whole day together. So it’s spreading from one person to the next. And for zero time you’ll see the entire community being infected.” For now, the orphanage remains under watch. It’s still a refuge for children who need shelter and care even as every new symptom raises the fear that the virus could still be spreading.

Advertisement
The arrival of a sick newborn at Saint Nicholas Orphanage in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo set off an Ebola outbreak that quickly spread among the country’s most vulnerable. Local health authorities are now monitoring the children’s home, but at least two babies have already died.

By Bethlehem Feleke, Michael Anthony Adams, Yasu Tsuji and Jon Hazell

June 13, 2026

Continue Reading

World

Mexican authorities discover body in trunk near Iranian soccer team’s World Cup training grounds: report

Published

on

Mexican authorities discover body in trunk near Iranian soccer team’s World Cup training grounds: report

NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!

Mexican authorities discovered a decomposing corpse with “signs of violence” near Tijuana’s Caliente Stadium, where the Iranian national soccer team is training during the World Cup, according to a New York Post report.

Authorities responded to complaints about a bad smell wafting from a gray Toyota SUV with California plates parked in a grocery store parking lot near the stadium, the Post reported.

“Upon inspecting the vehicle, they found a person wrapped in a black bag in the trunk, showing signs of violence,” a spokesperson for the Tijuana prosecutor’s office told the Post.

According to the report, the car had a damaged back end and was equipped with a license plate holder from a Tijuana car dealership.

Advertisement

HIDDEN TUNNEL DISCOVERED IN TIJUANA MAY HAVE SUPPORTED CROSS-BORDER TRAFFICKING OPERATIONS

Forensic workers inspect a car where a body was allegedly found at a parking lot close to Caliente stadium, where Iran’s national football team trains, in Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico on June 12, 2026. (Guillermo Arias / AFP via Getty Images)

Mexican officials could be seen wearing white jumpsuits while collecting evidence from the car in photos taken from the scene.

Forensic workers inspect a car where a body was allegedly found at a parking lot close to Caliente stadium, where Iran’s national football team trains, in Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico on June 12, 2026. (Guillermo Arias / AFP via Getty Images)

TSUNAMI OF SEWAGE FROM MEXICO BARRELS TOWARD US COASTLINE, OFFICIALS WARN

Advertisement

Tijuana, located just across the U.S.-Mexico border from San Diego, California, is frequently rated as one of the most violent cities in the world.

Iran soccer players pose for a team photo before a friendly match against Costa Rica in Antalya, Turkey, on March 31, 2026. (Riza Ozel/AP)

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

Iran’s national team is training at Caliente Stadium in preparation for their upcoming World Cup game against New Zealand in Los Angeles’ SoFi Stadium on Monday.

Advertisement
Continue Reading

World

Trump announces Iran peace deal could be signed on Sunday

Published

on

Trump announces Iran peace deal could be signed on Sunday

Ahead of attending the long-awaited G7 summit in Évian, US President Donald Trump has announced a peace deal with Iran could be finalised on Sunday, paving the way for the opening of the Strait of Hormuz.

ADVERTISEMENT


ADVERTISEMENT

“The Deal is scheduled to get signed tomorrow, and immediately after it is signed, the Hormuz Strait is OPEN TO ALL,” Trump said in a post on his Truth Social platform on Saturday.

Donald Trump also says the US will take Iran’s enriched uranium ‘dust’ when ‘all is calm’.

Trump’s statement, however, ran counter to Iran’s foreign ministry which indicated earlier in the day that the deal would not be signed on Sunday, according to state media reports.

Advertisement

Earlier, Pakistan’s prime minister said on Saturday that a peace deal between the United States and Iran is likely to be finalised within the next 24 hours.

Writing on X, Shehbaz Sharif said: “We are closer to a peace deal than ever before”.

But Trump’s post also contained a warning to the Islamic Republic to fully implement the plan or face serious consequences.

“Hopefully, this process will all work out quickly, easily, and smoothly,” the US president wrote. “If it doesn’t, we have the ultimate alternative, hopefully never to be used again!”

Throughout the negotiations Iran has insisted on its right to enrich uranium.

Advertisement

Trump’s post does not mention Israel and the war in Lebanon, nor the US blockade of Iranian ports in the Strait of Hormuz which so far have been the Iranian leadership’s two key demands for any peace agreement.

Trump appears to offer an olive branch to the Iranian leadership by saying that the “relationship with Iran is a much different and better one than previous administrations had,” and that “we look forward to working with Iran, and the entire Middle East, long into the future,” signalling a significant change in the US messaging after the prior threatening statements.

Trump mentions “hopefully” when he expresses his wish for the process to “work out quickly, easily and smoothly,” given how complicated the peace negotiations have been, and he states that military options remain on the table, calling it “the ultimate alternative,” which he hopes “never to be used again.” Another key Iranian demand has been the assurance that the US and Israel will never attack Iran again.

The status of US-Iran talks aimed at ending the Middle East war will be a dominant concern at the G7 summit, as will the be the war in Ukraine.

Trump to work with Zelenskyy, says official

Trump will take part in a G7 working session with Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelensky in France on Tuesday, but no bilateral meeting between the two is scheduled, a senior administration official said.

Advertisement

“On Tuesday morning, President Trump will participate in a working session with G7 leaders and President Zelensky of Ukraine,” the official told reporters Saturday on condition of anonymity.

The G7 summit will take place in Evian on June 15-17, and Trump is scheduled to hold bilateral meetings on its sidelines with French President Emmanuel Macron, as well as the leaders of Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt and India, the official said.

Trump is also scheduled to dine at the Versailles palace west of Paris with Macron on Wednesday evening, after the summit wraps up.

The dinner is a way to celebrate the 250th anniversary of American independence in a “landmark of Franco-American friendship where the treaty establishing the independence of the United States was signed in 1783,” according to Macron’s office.

Trump has shifted his attention away from efforts to end the Russia-Ukraine war since the United States and Israel launched attacks on Iran in late February.

Advertisement
Continue Reading
Advertisement

Trending