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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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