90-Second Read: ‘Low Risk’ as Africa Hantavirus Cases Spur Surveillance

The outbreak is linked to the Dutch-flagged cruise ship MV Hondius, which sailed from Argentina to Cape Verde before some of its 147 passengers transited via South Africa. In an update on Wednesday (13 May) the World Health Organization (WHO) said 11 cases, including three deaths, had been reported, eight of which have been confirmed as Hantavirus. Public health experts say such events are increasingly testing Africa's disease surveillance systems, especially in countries with limited diagnostic capacity and uneven outbreak preparedness infrastructure. Two other cases are probable, and one case remains inconclusive pending further testing, the WHO said.

The strain can cause Hantavirus cardiopulmonary syndrome, a severe respiratory illness that can be fatal. Hantavirus is primarily spread through contact with infected rodent urine, droppings or saliva. Rodent-borne diseases are particularly difficult to monitor because rodents are widespread and often live near to human populations, allowing infections to circulate undetected before severe cases emerge. The three, who are "currently healthy", will be monitored for 45 days in a designated isolation facility, Zimbabwe's Ministry of Health said on social media.

South Africa's National Institute for Communicable Diseases said a 70-year-old man died on arrival at St Helena island, in the South Atlantic. Health authorities say they are working to trace and monitor people who may have been in contact with infected individuals to prevent spread of the virus. The incident has triggered heightened surveillance across Africa and elsewhere, plus renewed debate over the continent's preparedness for emerging infectious diseases. The funding is supporting training programmes for frontline health and veterinary personnel, laboratory strengthening and expansion of disease surveillance systems.

According to Hodobo, the country is also strengthening frontline surveillance with support from the Pandemic Fund, a global financing mechanism established to improve preparedness for future outbreaks. At an Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) briefing, deputy incident manager Yap Boum warned that Africa remains vulnerable to zoonotic diseases because of increasing interaction between humans and animal environments. Tolbert Nyenswah, Africa CDC's director for pandemic prevention, preparedness and response, said strengthening genomic sequencing capacity remains central to improving outbreak preparedness across the continent.