A drone view of the cruise ship MV Hondius, carrying passengers suspected of having cases of hantavirus on board, leaves Praia, Cape Verde, May 6, 2026. (REUTERS)
A chef from Goa – among the crew members onboard the MV Hondius cruise ship in the Atlantic off Cape Verde – which is at the centre of the current hantavirus outbreak, on Saturday said that there are no symptomatic people on the ship at present and denied reports of a “widespread rescue of sick passengers”.
In a Facebook post on Saturday, Khabir Moraes, a native of South Goa’s Cuncolim, said: “I have been a post circulating claiming that I am a ‘hero’ involved in a rescue operation for ‘HATS virus’ patients on board. While I appreciate the kind words and concern, I need to clear the air with the actual facts. I am a member of this crew. Assisting passengers and ensuring the safety of everyone on board is quite literally my job. It’s what we’re trained for and I am just doing my part as a professional.”
“Most importantly, there are currently no symptomatic people on this ship. The rumours of a widespread ‘rescue’ of sick passengers are false. We are following all standard protocols to keep everyone healthy and the environment safe. I am doing well, the ship is calm and we’re focused on our usual operations,” he added in the post.
In an earlier post on Facebook on Friday, Moraes wrote, “The situation on board is being managed with the utmost care. There are no additional cases of infection on the vessel. We are in excellent hands, with three additional doctors now on board to assist us, including a representative from the World Health Organization (WHO).”
At least two Indians are reported to be crew members on-board the MV Hondius cruise ship. The World Health Organization on Friday said eight people had fallen ill, including three who died, in a hantavirus outbreak linked to the cruise ship. Six were confirmed cases and two of these were probable cases. The cruise ship had 147 passengers, including 59 crew members when the outbreak occurred on May 2. At least 34 passengers had already left the vessel when the outbreak happened.
The ship left Cape Verde on May 6 and is heading toward Tenerife in the Canary Islands and is expected to arrive within 3–4 days. The vessel, as of Friday, was moored off the coast of Cape Verde in Africa.
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