Cruise passenger breaks down while advocating for ‘real people’ trapped on ship where three people died in hantavirus outbreak

An American passenger stranded aboard the doomed cruise ship struck by a deadly rat-borne virus has published an emotional plea.

Three people have died so far following the suspected hantavirus outbreak on the MV Hondius ship, which traveled from Ushuaia, Argentina, to Cape Verde.

There are three other suspected cases, including a 69-year-old British man who was taken to Johannesburg, South Africa, where he is being treated in intensive care.

Travel blogger Jake Rosmarin issued a tearful plea for support, telling his 44,000 followers on Instagram: ‘I am currently on board the MV Hondius, and what is happening now is very real for all of us here.

“We’re not just a story, we’re not just headlines, we’re people. People with families, with lives, with people waiting for us at home.’

Overwhelmed with emotion and fear, the Boston content creator continued, “There’s a lot of uncertainty, and that’s the hardest part.

‘All we want now is to feel safe, have clarity and go home. So when you see coverage of this, remember that there are real people behind it, and this isn’t something happening far away.

“It’s happening to us now.” He ended the video plea by asking for “kindness and understanding.”

In its first statement on the crisis, Oceanwide Expeditions, which operates the ship, confirmed it was dealing with “a serious medical situation” on board the MV Hondius.

Travel blogger Jake Rosmarin made a tearful plea for support, telling his 44,000 followers on Instagram

The cruise ship MV Hondius is anchored in a port in Praia, Cape Verde on Monday

The 100-meter Arctic cruise ship, which left Argentina about three weeks ago before making several stops as it crossed the Atlantic Ocean, had about 149 people on board representing 23 different nationalities.

Because the ship sails under the Dutch flag, the Netherlands coordinates consular assistance to passengers, including those with a different nationality.

“The Dutch authorities have agreed to lead a joint effort to organize the repatriation of the two symptomatic persons on board the MV Hondius from Cape Verde to the Netherlands,” the operator said.

“If this can happen, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will coordinate this,” said a spokesperson for the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

However, Cape Verdean authorities are reluctant to allow the move, according to local outlet A Nacao the president of the Cape Verdean Public Health Institute said the ship must “continue its route” and that passengers will not disembark in Cape Verde to protect the local population.

According to several online tracking sites, the ship has been stuck off the port of Praia, the capital of Cape Verde, for at least 24 hours, and the situation shows no signs of being resolved soon.

A statement from cruise line Oceanwide Expeditions issued on Sunday evening said “no permission” had been granted by Cape Verdean authorities to disembark those in need of medical care.

Meanwhile, passengers face an agonizing wait to find out if they have contracted the virus – which can take up to eight weeks before they show symptoms.

Rosmarin is shown here aboard the ship before the outbreak and his request for help

Because the ship sails under the Dutch flag, the Netherlands coordinates consular assistance for passengers, including for passengers with a different nationality

A 70-year-old Dutch man was the first to die on the ship on April 11, while his cause of death was unknown. On April 24, the passenger was disembarked in St. Helena, while his 69-year-old wife supervised the repatriation.

On April 27, Oceanwide Expeditions was informed that his wife had also become unwell during the return journey and had later died.

That day, a 69-year-old British national on board the ship became seriously ill and was medically evacuated to South Africa, where he is in critical but stable condition. A strain of hantavirus has been identified in the patient.

On May 2, another passenger with German nationality died, and There are currently two crew members on the ship with acute respiratory complaints, one mild and one strict.

Both crew members – with British and Dutch nationality – require urgent medical care.

“Passenger disembarkation, medical evacuation and medical screening require approval and coordination with local health authorities,” a recent update from the ship said.

“Local health authorities have visited the ship and assessed the situation. The medical transfer of the two sick persons on board has not yet taken place.’

About 40 percent of cases result in death, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control.

Hantaviruses – a family of viruses – are spread by rodents, mainly through contact with their urine, feces and saliva.

They are known to cause a range of illnesses in humans, ranging from mild flu-like illnesses to severe respiratory or hemorrhagic diseases.

Early symptoms may include fatigue, fever, muscle aches and severe headaches.

They are not usually spread from person to person and are typically only transmitted through bodily fluids and close contact.

The risk of contracting the disease can be reduced by minimizing contact with rodents.