South Africa: Call for Calm As Hantavirus Case Confirmed

The Department of Health (DoH) has called for public calm following confirmation of a rare Hantavirus case in a critically ill British national in South Africa.

The patient was a passenger aboard the cruise ship MV Hondius, which was travelling to the Canary Islands via Cape Verde from Argentina.

The ship was carrying some 150 passengers and went past several islands, including mainland Antarctica, Falklands, South Georgia, Nightingale Island, Tristan, St Helena and Ascension.

"Despite medical treatment provided to him at Ascension, his condition did not improve and necessitated his medical evacuation to a South African private health facility in Sandton for further medical management.