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Hantavirus-Hit Cruise Ship Reaches Rotterdam for Quarantine

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The Dutch-flagged cruise ship MV Hondius arrived at the port of Rotterdam on Monday after being at the centre of a hantavirus outbreak that killed three people. Dutch authorities prepared quarantine arrangements for the remaining 23 crew members and two medical staff still on board, while the vessel was set to undergo full disinfection procedures.

The luxury liner had around 150 passengers and crew from 23 countries when severe respiratory illnesses were first reported to the World Health Organization on May 2. The outbreak later stranded the ship near Cape Verde after passengers were denied permission to disembark. Following an evacuation coordinated through Spain’s Canary Islands, the ship continued to Rotterdam with only a skeleton crew remaining onboard.

Health officials said the outbreak involved the Andes strain of hantavirus, which is primarily spread by rodents but can rarely transmit between humans after prolonged close contact. According to the WHO, 10 cases have been reported so far, including eight confirmed infections and three deaths involving a Dutch couple and a German national. Authorities worldwide have quarantined passengers, crew and close contacts, with high-risk individuals advised to isolate for 42 days after exposure.

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Final Passengers Leave Virus-Hit Cruise Ship as New Hantavirus Cases Emerge

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The last passengers have disembarked from the virus-hit cruise ship MV Hondius after authorities confirmed three additional positive hantavirus cases linked to the outbreak. The ship departed Tenerife for the Netherlands following the evacuation of its remaining passengers and crew. So far, seven confirmed hantavirus cases and two suspected infections have been tied to the vessel, while three passengers have died during the outbreak.

Health officials in Spain, the United States and France confirmed new infections involving passengers who had already returned home. Two American nationals showed symptoms after repatriation, while a French woman isolating in Paris was reported to be in deteriorating health. Several British nationals with confirmed infections are being treated in the Netherlands and South Africa, as countries continue monitoring and quarantining passengers and crew evacuated from the ship.

The outbreak is believed to involve the Andes strain of hantavirus, which may allow limited human-to-human transmission. The World Health Organization has recommended a 42-day isolation period for passengers leaving the ship, though officials say the risk of a large-scale outbreak remains low. The cruise operator, Oceanwide Expeditions, said a reduced crew remains onboard as the vessel heads to the Netherlands for further health monitoring and operational support.

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French Passenger Shows Hantavirus Symptoms After Evacuation From MV Hondius

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French authorities placed five passengers evacuated from the cruise ship MV Hondius into strict isolation after one French national developed hantavirus symptoms during a repatriation flight from Tenerife to Paris. Ambulances and PPE-clad medical teams received the passengers at Le Bourget Airport before transferring them to Bichat Hospital for quarantine and medical assessment. Similar monitoring and isolation measures are underway in Spain, the UK, the US, and the Netherlands as more than 90 passengers and crew are evacuated from the vessel.

The outbreak aboard the Dutch cruise ship has already been linked to three deaths, with two confirmed hantavirus infections. Health officials believe some passengers may have contracted the Andes strain during the ship’s South American voyage. Several countries have arranged emergency flights for their citizens, while symptomatic passengers are being transported in biocontainment units as a precaution. British, American, Dutch, Spanish, Australian, Turkish, and Irish nationals are among those being repatriated.

The MV Hondius arrived off Tenerife after weeks of concern over infections spreading onboard. Medical teams began carefully coordinated evacuations while passengers wearing masks were ferried ashore under strict health protocols. Experts say the incident highlights the continuing risks of infectious disease outbreaks on cruise ships and the importance of global preparedness, surveillance, and rapid response systems for future health emergencies.

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Tenerife Faces Tension as Hantavirus Cruise Ship Nears Island

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Residents and dock workers in Tenerife are expressing concern and frustration as the cruise ship MV Hondius, linked to a hantavirus outbreak, prepares to arrive near the island this weekend. The ship, travelling from Cape Verde, saw multiple passengers fall ill, with several deaths reported during the voyage. Protesters gathered outside the Canary Islands parliament demanding stronger safety measures and clearer communication from authorities.

The Spanish government, working alongside the World Health Organization, said passengers will not directly enter residential areas. Instead, the ship will anchor offshore and passengers will be transferred to the industrial port of Granadilla before being repatriated or quarantined. Officials insisted there would be no risk to local residents and promised strict health and safety protocols throughout the operation.

The incident has reignited memories of the Covid-19 pandemic and sparked political debate on the islands, with some residents accusing authorities of ignoring local concerns. Others, however, said Tenerife has experience handling international crises and expressed cautious confidence in the healthcare system and emergency response plans.

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New Suspected Hantavirus Case Emerges as Cruise Ship Contact Tracing Expands

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Health authorities are investigating a new suspected hantavirus case involving a British national on the remote South Atlantic island of Tristan da Cunha, as global contact tracing efforts linked to the luxury cruise ship MV Hondius continue. The island, one of the world’s most isolated inhabited locations, had been visited by the ship in April before multiple infections were identified among passengers.

So far, three people — a Dutch couple and a German national — have died in the outbreak, while four others confirmed to be infected are receiving treatment in hospitals across the Netherlands, South Africa and Switzerland. Dutch health officials said two individuals who had close contact with an infected passenger tested negative, though authorities are still awaiting final results for another possible case. Several countries, including Singapore and the United States, are also monitoring passengers who returned home after leaving the ship.

Experts and health agencies continue to stress that the risk of widespread contagion remains low, as hantavirus is typically spread through rodents and only rarely transmits between humans. Cruise operator Oceanwide stated that no passengers currently aboard the MV Hondius are showing symptoms, while the World Health Organization is preparing guidance for the safe disembarkation and travel of passengers when the vessel reaches Tenerife this weekend.

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Hantavirus Cases Reported After Deaths on Atlantic Cruise Ship

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A suspected hantavirus outbreak aboard the cruise ship MV Hondius has led to three deaths and multiple infections during a transatlantic voyage. A Dutch couple and a German passenger died, with the Dutch woman confirmed to have contracted the virus. A 69-year-old British man also tested positive and remains in critical but stable condition in a South African hospital after being evacuated. Two crew members showing symptoms and another close contact are expected to be airlifted for medical care.

The ship, carrying 149 passengers from 23 countries, is currently anchored near Cape Verde after authorities denied disembarkation due to safety concerns. Strict isolation and hygiene measures are in place onboard. Health officials believe the virus—typically spread through rodent exposure—may have been contracted before or during the यात्रा, possibly at earlier stops. While human-to-human transmission is rare, limited spread among close contacts cannot be ruled out.

The World Health Organization is coordinating next steps, including a possible route to the Canary Islands for further screening and controlled disembarkation. Officials emphasize that hantavirus infections are uncommon and pose a low risk to the general public. Meanwhile, passengers remain onboard amid uncertainty, awaiting testing results and clearance to return home.

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