MANILA, May 9 (Xinhua) -- Thirty-eight Filipino crew members aboard the cruise ship MV Hondius were still in quarantine and showed no signs of hantavirus infection, the Philippines' Department of Health (DOH) said on Saturday.

The department is waiting for guidance from the World Health Organization (WHO) on the next steps for the Filipino crew members aboard the cruise ship where a hantavirus outbreak has been reported, according to local media reports.

DOH spokesperson Assistant Secretary Albert Domingo said that while the crew remain in Cabo Verde, an island nation located off the west coast of Africa, health authorities there are handling quarantine and monitoring procedures.

The DOH also emphasized that there are currently no confirmed cases of hantavirus infection in the Philippines. Domingo assured the public that the Filipino crew members on board the vessel remain safe amid reports of hantavirus cases linked to passengers on the ship.

According to the WHO, of the 147 people onboard, three have died, including a Dutch couple confirmed to have been infected. ■