A case of hantavirus has been confirmed on board a cruise ship currently anchored off the coast of Cape Verde.
Two Irish people are among 149 people on MV Hondius.
The ship's operator, Oceanwide Expeditions, said strict precautionary measures are in place on board the vessel, including isolation measures and hygiene protocols.
Here's a brief timeline of events:
11 April: A passenger died on board MV Hondius. The cause of death could not be determined.
24 April: The passenger's body was removed, accompanied by his wife.
27 April: Oceanwide Expeditions was informed that the man's wife had become unwell during the return journey and had later died. Both passengers were Dutch nationals. At this time, it was not confirmed that the deaths were connected to the current medical situation on board.
27 April: Another passenger became seriously unwell and was medically evacuated to South Africa. This passenger, of British nationality, is being treated in an intensive care unit and is in a critical but stable condition. A variant of hantavirus was identified in this patient.
2 May: A German passenger died on board MV Hondius. The cause of of death has not yet been established.
There are currently two crew members on board with acute respiratory symptoms - one mild and one
severe, with both needing urgent medical care. Hantavirus has not been confirmed in either of these crew members, who are of British and Dutch nationality.
It also has not been established if the virus is connected to the three passenger deaths.
No other passengers with symptoms have currently been identified.
MV Honduras remains off the coast of Cape Verde with 149 people on board. Local health authorities have visited the ship and assessed the situation.
