According to officials, the global outbreak has recorded eight confirmed infections and three deaths, including a Dutch couple and a German national. The strain involved is the Andes virus, a rare hantavirus known for limited human-to-human transmission under close and prolonged contact.
The National Department of Health confirmed that South Africa is actively involved in monitoring and tracing individuals who may have been exposed to the virus.
Health department spokesperson Foster Mohale confirmed that the remains of a 69-year-old Dutch woman who collapsed at OR Tambo International Airport have been repatriated to the Netherlands after the necessary export permits were issued.
He added that her husband, a 70-year-old man, had earlier died after arriving at St Helena Island, while a third patient—a British national medically evacuated to Johannesburg—is currently in stable but critical condition and receiving treatment.
A KLM flight attendant who had contact with the deceased passenger tested negative for the virus, according to the World Health Organization (WHO), as reported by Reuters.
The National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) stated that Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome (HPS) is typically transmitted through exposure to infected rodent droppings, urine, or nesting materials, particularly in endemic regions of the Americas.
Officials noted that around 50 of the 82 passengers on an Airlink flight from St Helena Island to Johannesburg have been traced, with 10 individuals currently under monitoring in Gauteng.
In the Western Cape, four additional individuals are being monitored after travelling from St Helena Island to Cape Town, with one person showing mild flu-like symptoms. Authorities said laboratory testing is ongoing to confirm whether the symptoms are related to hantavirus or other respiratory illnesses such as Covid-19.
The National Department of Health emphasized that while global coordination is ongoing, the risk of local transmission remains low. Officials urged individuals identified as contacts to cooperate fully with tracing teams.
The World Health Organization has also stated that although the situation is serious, the overall public health risk remains low, while cautioning that more cases could still emerge due to the incubation period.
Health experts explained that early symptoms of HPS include fever, fatigue, muscle aches, and gastrointestinal discomfort, which can rapidly progress to severe respiratory distress. The disease carries a high fatality rate, estimated between 30% and 50%.
Authorities continue to monitor the situation closely as international and local health agencies coordinate their response.
