Following a suspected outbreak on the luxury polar cruise ship MV Hondius, three people have died (a Dutch couple and a German national) and several others have fallen severely ill with acute respiratory and gastrointestinal distress.

A leading doctor warned that while hantavirus primarily spreads via contact with infected rodents, the situation is incredibly serious as health authorities investigate potential human-to-human transmission, which is highly rare for this virus.

Emergency teams in protective gear were deployed to airlift a critically ill British tourist to an intensive care unit in South Africa, alongside the urgent medical evacuation of two symptomatic crew members.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer addressed the crisis, confirming the UK Government is monitoring the situation closely and working with international partners to coordinate assistance for stranded British nationals.

Denied docking in Cape Verde to protect public health, the ship's operator negotiated with Spanish authorities to divert the vessel to the Canary Islands for comprehensive passenger screening.