A passenger on the Hondius cruise ship left an emotional appeal on social media, following the outbreak of respiratory disease on board that has already claimed three lives.
Jake Rosmarin, who is on the vessel, stressed that passengers should not be seen just as numbers or news. “We are not just a story, we are not just headlines. We are people”, he said, visibly moved.
The North American also highlighted the uncertainty experienced on board, remembering that everyone wants to feel safe and return home. “There is a lot of uncertainty and that is the most difficult part,” he said, also appealing for the empathy of those who follow the case from a distance.
The outbreak was detected during the trip between Ushuaia and Cape Verde. According to authorities, three people have died and others are showing symptoms and are currently stable.
The vessel remains off the port of Praia, without authorization to disembark, while medical teams monitor the situation and evaluate possible measures, including sanitary evacuation.
To date, only one of the fatal victims has tested positive for hantavirus, and investigations are still ongoing to determine the origin and extent of the outbreak.
There are 147 people on board, including passengers and crew, including a Portuguese citizen, who, according to authorities, is in good health.
The case continues to be monitored by international entities, in an operation that involves containment measures and medical care, while concern grows about the evolution of the outbreak.
🛳️ Jake Rosmarin, passenger on the MV Hondius cruise ship, explains what it’s like to experience the health alert due to a possible hantavirus outbreak: “We are not only headlines, we are people.”
There are already 3 people dead.
— GipuzkoaGaur (@gipuzkoagaur)
