Durrant Pate/Contributor

Jamaica’s health and border management authorities have moved to tighten monitoring of cruise ships arriving in the island’s ports, raising the yellow alert for the hantavirus after an outbreak of the virus aboard a vessel currently off the coast of Africa.

The move is a precautionary measure for the virus, which is spread by rodents and has been linked to at least three deaths and several infections on board a cruise ship that departed Argentina on April 1 and has since travelled through parts of the South Atlantic before arriving near Cape Verde.

Three infected passengers were evacuated from the vessel in Cape Verde on Wednesday morning. Jamaica’s Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Jacquiline Bisasor-McKenzie reported that the authorities have taken precautionary steps, due to its position as a major cruise destination, emphasising that the risk of spread remains low.

Health officials in Jamaica say enhanced monitoring will continue as part of broader port safety measures, particularly given the country’s reliance on cruise tourism. Addressing a news conference called by the Health and Wellness Ministry yesterday, Dr. Bisasor-Mckenzie said consultations with local health officials have found no evidence of hantavirus in rodents in Jamaica, confirming that increased vigilance will be maintained at ports of entry.

She noted that while Jamaica does not currently have in-country laboratory capacity to test for hantavirus, samples can be processed regionally through the Caribbean Public Health Agency. She stated that local testing capacity could be scaled up if needed, similar to arrangements made during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Hantaviruses are a family of viruses that can cause severe illness, including hantavirus pulmonary syndrome and hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome. According to international health authorities, a total of seven cases — including three deaths — have been reported aboard the affected cruise ship, which carries passengers and crew of multiple nationalities and is currently moored off Cabo Verde.

Regarding the cruise ship, which is located off the coast of Africa,” the Chief Medical Officer reported that the World Health Organisation has assessed the situation as posing a low risk for global transmission.