Two Singaporean Residents Test Negative for Hantavirus

(MENAFN) Two Singaporean residents exposed to a deadly hantavirus outbreak aboard the cruise ship MV Hondius have tested negative for the rare respiratory disease, offering cautious relief amid a widening international health scare, local media reported Saturday.

The two men — aged 65 and 67 — had sailed on the MV Hondius during an active outbreak of the Andes hantavirus strain and were also passengers on the same April 25 flight from St Helena to Johannesburg as a confirmed hantavirus patient who subsequently died in South Africa, according to a news channel, which cited the Communicable Diseases Agency (CDA). The deceased individual never traveled to Singapore.

Lab Results Clear Both Men — But Isolation Continues
Laboratory analysis of multiple samples from both individuals returned no trace of hantavirus infection, including the specific Andes strain responsible for the outbreak, the CDA confirmed. Despite the negative results, the men remain isolated at the National Centre for Infectious Diseases — having arrived in Singapore on May 2 and May 6 respectively — as a precautionary measure.

Authorities have mandated a 30-day quarantine period calculated from each man's last known exposure date, to be followed by additional testing prior to any release. Beyond physical isolation, both individuals will remain under phone surveillance for a total monitoring window of 45 days — a timeline that corresponds directly to the maximum known incubation period for hantavirus exposure.

"The risk to the general public in Singapore remains low," the CDA said, adding that authorities are continuing to closely monitor the situation.

Five Confirmed Cases, Three Dead — WHO Tracking the Voyage
The broader outbreak linked to the MV Hondius has now produced five confirmed cases of the Andes hantavirus strain, including three fatalities, among passengers connected to the voyage, according to World Health Organization officials.

The vessel departed Argentina carrying approximately 150 passengers and crew representing 23 nationalities, crossing the Atlantic before a cluster of severe respiratory illnesses surfaced while the ship was sailing off Cape Verde — triggering an international health response that continues to unfold across multiple countries.

MENAFN11052026000045017169ID1111096871