It shows nearly a month passed between when an elderly Dutch man fell sick and died in the South Atlantic and laboratory tests in South Africa — more than 3,500 kilometers (2,174 miles) away — confirmed hantavirus infections.

Three passengers in total have died, one is in intensive care in a South African hospital, and three other people still on the cruise ship have shown symptoms and were waiting for evacuations. Nearly 150 passengers and crew members from 23 countries were on the ship, which is waiting off the coast of West Africa.

Hantavirus is spread by rodents. People can get it through contact with infected rodents’ saliva, urine, or droppings. It doesn’t usually spread from person to person, but some health authorities say such transmission could be possible.

While only two hantavirus cases related to the ship have been confirmed through tests, WHO suspects the others also are hantavirus and is treating it as an outbreak. It is still investigating the source.

What happened on the ship

The Dutch company that operates the ship, the MV Hondius, offers “expedition cruises” that involve trips to the Antarctic and several islands in the South Atlantic to see some of the remotest places on earth.

The cruises can last a month or more and cost between $6,000 and $25,000, depending on the cabin.

The MV Hondius set off from southern Argentina on April 1.

On April 6, the 70-year-old Dutch man fell ill with fever, headache and mild diarrhea, WHO said.

He died on board on April 11, after developing respiratory distress. The ship was between the British island territories of South Georgia and St. Helena in the middle of the South Atlantic, according to data from the ship tracking website MarineTraffic. The cause of death could not be determined, according to the cruise company, Oceanwide Expeditions.

The ship sailed on for nearly two weeks, stopping near the island of Tristan da Cunha before it reached St. Helena, where the Dutch man’s body was taken off the ship on April 24. His 69-year-old wife disembarked with his body and flew to South Africa, while the man’s body remained behind.

The woman, who already had symptoms, became sicker during the April 25 flight and collapsed at an airport in South Africa. She died at a hospital on April 26, WHO said.

Another passenger, a British man, became sick on the ship after it left St. Helena and sailed to tiny Ascension Island, some 1,300 kilometers (800 miles) north. He had a high fever, shortness of breath and signs of pneumonia, according to WHO, and was evacuated from Ascension Island to South Africa on April 27. He is in an intensive care unit in a South African hospital.

The third fatality, a German woman, died on the ship on Saturday, again after it had set sail for a new destination — this time Cape Verde. She died four days after falling ill and also had signs of pneumonia, WHO said, which can be caused by hantavirus. Her body is still on the ship.

When authorities first knew hantavirus was on the ship

Health officials in South Africa ultimately tested the British man in intensive care for hantavirus after other extensive tests on him were negative. They received a positive result for hantavirus on Saturday, some 21 days after the first passenger died.

On Sunday, WHO announced it was investigating a suspected hantavirus outbreak on the ship, which had by that time reached Cape Verde waters.

The British man’s positive test prompted South African health authorities to also test the Dutch woman’s body posthumously for hantavirus. That test came back positive on Monday.

WHO said the outbreak on the ship was being managed and the global risk was low as hantavirus is not easily spread between people, though it added it was tracing people who were on a passenger plane between St. Helena and Johannesburg, South Africa, with the Dutch woman.

What the plan is for the people still on board

Oceanwide Expeditions said Tuesday that aircraft were flying to Cape Verde to evacuate two people needing urgent medical care and one passenger who was traveling with the German woman who died Saturday. They were to be taken to the Netherlands, but a timeline for arrival wasn’t clear.

The ship then would sail to Spain’s Canary Islands, a voyage of about three days, the company said.

Spanish officials had said they were monitoring and hadn’t confirmed any plans as of Tuesday evening.

Passengers and crew have been isolated in cabins with “maximal physical distancing,” WHO said, in a lockdown reminiscent of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The source of the infections
WHO says it is still investigating how a virus that is relatively rare in people got on board the ship. It said the Dutch man and his wife — who it called cases one and two — had traveled in Argentina and elsewhere in South America before they boarded.

WHO says Andes virus, a specific species of hantavirus, is found in South America, primarily in Argentina and Chile.

AP

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Three passengers have died and at least four people are sick in what health officials say is an outbreak of hantavirus, which usually spreads by inhaling contaminated rodent droppings.

The World Health Organization said passengers are isolating in their cabins and that the vessel — in the Atlantic off Cape Verde — might be moved to Spain’s Canary Islands. But Spanish officials said Tuesday that they were still monitoring the situation and haven’t made a decision.

The MV Hondius, a Dutch ship on a weekslong polar cruise, departed April 1 from Argentina for Antarctica and several isolated islands in the South Atlantic.

“Our days have been close to normal, just waiting for authorities to find a solution,” passenger Qasem Elhato, 31 — who sent AP the video footage — said via WhatsApp. “But morale on the ship is high and we’re keeping ourselves busy with reading, watching movies, having hot drinks and that kind of things.”

Helene Goessaert, another passenger, told Belgian broadcaster VRT that everyone onboard is “in the same boat, literally.”

“You don’t embark on a trip with the idea that one of your fellow passengers won’t make it,” she said.

“We receive information at regular intervals. It is accurate. For the rest, it is a waiting game,” she added. “Today we received fresh fruit and fresh vegetables. That was very important to us.”

Evacuation plans are still unclear

Authorities in Cape Verde have said they sent teams of doctors, surgeons, nurses and laboratory specialists to the Hondius. They were seen in Elhato’s video footage — wearing white overalls, boots and face masks as they disembarked to a smaller vessel.

Officials in Cape Verde’s capital of Praia, a city of less than 200,000 people, said they have stepped up safety protocols, particularly near the port, as a precautionary measure against the rodent-borne illness — which doesn’t usually spread person to person, though health authorities say it might be possible.

Elhato said passengers were wearing masks and social distancing — practices that became hallmarks of the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic. Ship operator Oceanwide Expeditions said it had implemented its highest level of response plan, with isolation measures, hygiene protocols and medical monitoring.

WHO said late Monday that sick passengers would soon be evacuated to the Netherlands for medical care. But it remained unclear Tuesday when any evacuations would happen.

Dr. Maria Van Kerkhove, WHO’s director of epidemic and pandemic preparedness, told reporters in Geneva on Tuesday that the ship would “continue on to the Canary Islands.”

“We’re working with Spanish authorities, who will welcome the ship,” Kerkhove said, emphasizing that sick passengers would first be moved.

But Spanish health officials said in a statement that they were monitoring and that “the most appropriate port of call will be decided. Until then, the Ministry of Health will not adopt any decision, as we have informed the World Health Organization.”

WHO notes 7 cases in all in its latest update

WHO said Tuesday that it’s looking at seven cases in all — three people who have died, one critically ill passenger who was previously taken off the ship, and three onboard reporting mild symptoms.

Two of the cases — a woman who died and the evacuated man — tested positive for hantavirus.

A Dutch man was the first death, on April 11. His body was taken off the vessel nearly two weeks later, on the British territory of St. Helena, some 1,200 miles (1,900 kilometers) off the African coast, according to South Africa’s Department of Health.

His wife traveled by plane from St. Helena to South Africa; she collapsed at a Johannesburg airport and died at a hospital on April 26, according to WHO and the South African Department of Health.

The ship sailed on to Ascension Island, an isolated Atlantic outpost about 800 miles (1,300 kilometers) to the north, where a sick British man was taken off the ship and evacuated first to Ascension Island and then to South Africa by plane. He is in intensive care in a South African hospital, according to WHO.

Van Kerkhove said that WHO is investigating possible human-to-human transmission on the ship, and that officials suspect the first infected person likely contracted the virus before boarding. She said officials have been told there are no rats on board.

Officials in Argentina — where hantavirus led to 28 deaths nationwide last year, according to the health ministry — said they confirmed no passengers had symptoms when the Hondius departed. Symptoms can appear up to eight weeks after exposure, officials have said.

In South Africa, authorities said they have started contact tracing — another practice used extensively in the coronavirus pandemic. But officials have emphasized that the chance of a major public health threat is low.

AP

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The ministry called the meeting to convey “profound concern regarding recent events that have the potential to impact the established cordial relations between Nigeria and South Africa,” it said in a statement posted on X on Monday.

Video posted on social media last week showed people being beaten during an anti-immigrant protest in Johannesburg, recalling previous episodes of attacks on immigrants in South Africa.

In 2008, about 60 people died and 50 000 were displaced in a wave of xenophobic violence, with foreigners blamed for everything from unemployment to poor government services.

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has separately warned protesters against taking the law into their own hands, reminding them in a recent speech that their African neighbors were vital in supporting the anti-apartheid struggle as he sought to calm the situation.

Last month, Ghanaian Foreign Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa summoned South Africa’s acting high commissioner in Accra after a video of an anti-immigrant group verbally attacking a Ghanaian citizen was circulated on social media.

The minister demanded the South African government do “everything in its power” to ensure the safety of Ghanaian citizens in the country.

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The U.S., Morocco and other countries participating in the African Lion exercise have launched a search and rescue operation, AFRICOM said.

“The incident remains under investigation and the search is ongoing,” it said in a statement.

The incident happened on May 2 near the Cap Draa Training Area near Tan Tan, close to the Atlantic Ocean. The terrain is mountainous, a mix of desert and semidesert plains.

The war games exercise started in April and runs across four countries, including Tunisia, Ghana and Senegal. It is scheduled to end in early May.

The exercise began in Tunisia with active-duty members of different branches of the U.S. military, including the National Guard, Army Reserve, Air Force, and the Marine Corps.

In all, over 7,000 personnel from more than 30 nations are participating across the four host countries.

African Lion, which has been running since 2004, is the largest U.S. annual joint military exercise on the continent and usually features high-ranking military officials from the U.S. and its top African allies.

U.S. military officials have said the annual multinational engagement serves as a venue for strengthening regional security cooperation and refining the readiness of participating forces for global crises.

In 2012, two U.S. Marines were killed and two others injured during a helicopter crash in Morocco’s southern city of Agadir while taking part in African Lion.

Morocco is a major ally of the United States in a troubled region.

Since 2020, military officers disillusioned with their governments’ records of stemming violence have overthrown democratically elected governments in Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger and began distancing themselves from Western powers.

AP

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The South Sudan Broadcasting Corporation announced late on Wednesday that Kiir had relieved Semeya Kumba of his post as foreign minister, and had sacked Atong Kuol Manyang as trade minister.

No explanation was given for the firings, in which Kiir also removed Mawien Mawien Ariik as director general of the Internal Security Bureau of the National Security Service, appointing Akec Tong Aleu as his successor.

Analysts say Kiir regularly makes changes to ranks in the military and government to maintain control as he contends with armed conflict and speculation about his eventual succession.

REUTERS

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The demonstration is part of a broader wave of protests, including in the capital, Pretoria, on Tuesday. Anti-immigration groups are calling for the strict enforcement of immigration laws and mass deportations.

As one of Africa’s most industrialized economies, South Africa attracts migrants —both those who entered the country legally and illegally in search of opportunities.

The protests in Johannesburg resulted in the closure of many shops, owned by both locals and migrants, due to fears of potential looting or opportunistic crimes.

Organized by the anti-immigration group March and March, it also attracted similar organizations, including Operation Dudula and political parties ActionSA and Patriotic Alliance.

“We are not xenophobic, we just want the right thing to be done in South Africa, to put the South African first. We do want to live with foreigners in our country, but those foreigners must be legally in the country,” said Themba Mabunda of ActionSA, who participated in the march.

Estimates of migrants who are in South Africa illegally vary significantly, with figures often cited of 3 to 5 million. Accurate up-to-date figures are contested as many of the foreigners lack legal status.

Anti-immigration groups argue that illegal immigration causes urban overcrowding, labor tensions, tax revenue loss, and crime and border security threats in a country where unemployment exceeds 30%.

In some instances, anti-migration groups have chased foreign nationals away from public health facilities, claiming they were contributing to a shortage of medication and overcrowding.

The secretary-general of the United Nations, António Guterres, recently expressed concern over reports of xenophobic attacks and acts of harassment and intimidation against migrants and foreign nationals in parts of South Africa, including in KwaZulu-Natal and Eastern Cape Province.

An anti-migration march in Eastern Cape Province last month resulted in the violent torching of minibus taxis and public infrastructure, while alleged attacks on Ghanaian nationals in KwaZulu-Natal sparked a diplomatic incident that saw South Africa’s ambassador to Ghana summoned to explain the attacks.

South Africa deported 109,344 immigrants living in the country illegally over the past two financial years as it ramps up immigration enforcement.

AP

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President Cyril Ramaphosa has proclaimed the 2026 municipal elections, clearing the way for the official gazetting of the poll date and setting the stage for voters to head to the ballot later this year.

He announced that the Local Government Elections will be held on Wednesday, 4 November 2026, describing the timing as strategically chosen to maximise voter participation.

A voter registration weekend has been set for 20–21 June, as government ramps up efforts to counter growing concerns over voter apathy.

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“The proposed date falls on a Wednesday and outside the festive period, which will improve voter turnout while having minimal impact on schooling and travel,” Ramaphosa said.

The announcement was made during his closing remarks at the Extended Presidential Coordinating Council (PCC) meeting in Boksburg, Gauteng, on Thursday.

Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA) Minister Velenkosini Hlabisa, also speaking at the PCC meeting in Boksburg, said the 4 November date was selected to avoid overlap with the festive season and the January back-to-school period, allowing the education sector to plan accordingly.

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“The earliest opportunity was the first of November,” Hlabisa said, adding that the Department of Basic Education would adjust its examination timetable to minimise disruption.

He said the department was expected to finalise its plans by the end of June, including arrangements for first-time voters who will be casting their ballots.

Addressing voter apathy, Hlabisa expressed confidence that citizens would turn out in significant numbers.

“Our people will gain courage from today. Those who have raised concerns about poor basic service delivery will have their time,” he said.

He added that the next five-year term of local government would be shaped by voters’ choices.

Hlabisa also called for peaceful campaigning, urging political parties and communities to uphold democratic principles and ensure that voters can exercise their rights freely.

He said he would convene a meeting with the Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC), the Municipal Demarcation Board (MDB) and the South African Local Government Association (SALGA) to coordinate voter mobilisation efforts.

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On Thursday, he was awarded $61,000 and a car by the president.

Sawe, the first person to officially break the two-hour barrier in an marathon, was welcomed home by his parents and Sports Minister Salim Mvurya, who hailed the runner’s accomplishment at the London Marathon as “a win for Kenya.”

President William Ruto held a more formal welcoming ceremony Thursday, where he described Sawe’s win as “a defining moment in the history of human endurance.”

Sawe gave President Ruto an autographed Adidas Adizero shoe worn during Sunday’s marathon. He also autographed a photo of the moment he broke the world record.

Sawe made history on Sunday when he won in a time of 1 hour, 59 minutes, 30 seconds. He bettered the previous men’s world record by 65 seconds.

On arrival Wednesday at Nairobi’s Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, Sawe told The Associated Press he was proud to have “made a great achievement in life” and was planning to “try and lower the record further.”

He was adorned with a traditional wreath made from twigs to symbolize victory.

Traditional dancers sang his praises as he then climbed into a luxury government vehicle as part of the “heroic welcome” hailed by the sports minister.

Sawe’s parents told The AP they knew their son was destined for greatness even as a child. His mother recounted how he sprinted during bath time.

“He would run too fast. So, I would say to myself, this boy will shine for me one day,” Emily Sawe said.

His father recounted some tension watching Sunday’s marathon because of the television lacked a clear signal.

“The moment my son pulled in front, I walked out and didn’t see him finish the race. I watched the replay afterwards. I was so happy, extremely happy. We screamed so much that now it is hard to swallow anything,” Simion Kiplagat Sawe said.

Sabastian Sawe was introduced to professional running by his uncle, Abraham Chepkirwok, who ran the 800 meters for Uganda at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

Sawe won the Valencia Marathon in 2024, clocking 2:02:05. He went into Sunday’s race in London as the defending champion.

His father says Sawe is disciplined and determined: “Even now, he still says that record was not enough; he wants to lower it further.”

AP

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Séba, his son, and another suspect – Francois van der Merwe – submitted their applications at a magistrates court in the capital, Pretoria, on Wednesday.

Their case was postponed until 11 May and they will remain in custody.

The three men were arrested in Pretoria on 15 April after a special investigative unit known as the Hawks received information that the Sébas paid Van der Merwe about R250 000 rand ($15 000) to facilitate their illegal passage across the Limpopo River into neighbouring Zimbabwe.

Séba has applied for asylum in South Africa, his lawyer Sinenhlanhla Mnguni told reporters outside the court.

Benin issued an international warrant for Séba’s arrest after he praised the would-be mutineers on social media.

Extradition proceedings are under way, the Hawks said earlier this month.

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Bellarmine Mugabe, the son of Zimbabwe’s late former president Robert Mugabe, was sentenced in the Alexandra Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday to two fine-or-jail sentences and ordered deported after pleading guilty to pointing a firearm and contravening the Immigration Act.

Mugabe was sentenced to 24 months’ imprisonment or a R400,000 fine for pointing a firearm, and 18 months’ imprisonment or a R200,000 fine for contravening the Act.

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His co-accused, Tobias Tamirepi Matonhodze, was sentenced to an effective three years’ direct imprisonment for attempted murder after admitting to shooting a complainant during an altercation at Mugabe’s Hyde Park residence in Johannesburg.

The sentences followed guilty pleas entered by both accused on 17 April.

Mugabe pleaded guilty to contravening the Immigration Act and to pointing a firearm in a separate incident in Hyde Park. Matonhodze admitted in his plea statement to shooting the complainant, with forensic evidence confirming the presence of gunshot residue on his hands.

The charges arose from an incident on 19 February at Mugabe’s residence in Hyde Park. According to the NPA, an altercation broke out between the accused and a security guard/gardener. The complainant was assaulted and subsequently shot in the back while attempting to flee.

He collapsed outside the gate and was later discovered by a neighbouring security guard, who alerted police.

In aggravation of sentence, Regional Court Prosecutor Godfrey Maphiri argued that the accused had demonstrated a blatant disregard for South African law, including remaining unlawfully in the country for a prolonged period while engaging in serious criminal conduct.

The court agreed with the state’s submissions and sentenced Mugabe to 24 months’ imprisonment or the R400,000 fine.

ALSO READ: Parly’s ad hoc committee enters final phase, targets 8 May for draft report

The magistrate said that the count involved “pointing of anything which is likely to lead a person to believe it is a firearm”.

Mugabe was also sentenced to 18 months’ imprisonment or a R200,000 fine for contravening the Immigration Act. The court further ordered that he be deported.

“The accused will be escorted by the Investigation Officer/Immigration officer to the OR Tambo airport who will oversee his department,” the magistrate said.

Matonhodze was sentenced to an effective three years’ direct imprisonment for attempted murder. The court also ordered that he be deported once he has served his sentence.

“The court orders that all the sentences be served concurrently. It is further ordered that the accused be deported once the sentence is served,” the magistrate said.

The NPA said the sentence sent a clear message that violent criminal conduct and disregard for South African law would attract firm consequences.

Defence lawyer Sinenhlanhla Mnguni said the defence was satisfied with the outcome.

“Ultimately, we are happy with the outcome as legal representatives, and I think the court arrived at a fair sentence with regards to the accused,” Mnguni said.

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