Hantavirus on MV Hondius: Passengers Tested and Isolated Globally

Over 50 passengers from the MV Hondius cruise ship are now in isolation across Europe and the US after a hantavirus outbreak. This is the first known outbreak on a cruise vessel.
By Newsroom | Health, Travel |

The repatriation of passengers and crew from the MV Hondius, a cruise ship struck by a hantavirus outbreak, is nearing completion. Individuals are being returned to their home countries where they face varying degrees of medical testing and mandatory isolation. This complex operation underscores a global scramble to contain a disease, marking what appears to be the first hantavirus outbreak on a cruise vessel. Authorities have emphasized that the risk to the general public remains low.

European nations are implementing measures for returning passengers. Belgium has received two individuals, while Germany accounted for eight people on board, including one of the deceased. France has repatriated five passengers, with initial tests for some yielding negative results, though isolation continues. Greece confirmed one national was on the ship. British passengers, totaling 22 nationals still aboard when docked in the Canary Islands, are now isolating at Arrowe Park Hospital in Merseyside, following a chartered flight to Manchester Airport. They are subject to restrictions on public transport use upon their eventual release for home isolation.

Read More: Hantavirus Ship Leaves Tenerife After 94 People Evacuated

Where Are the Passengers of the Hantavirus-Hit Cruise Ship Now? - 1

In the United States, 15 passengers are being monitored at the National Quarantine Unit in Nebraska, all currently asymptomatic. Another American passenger tested positive for hantavirus with inconclusive lab results, according to the WHO, while another exhibited mild symptoms. Health officials are also monitoring two individuals in California who were either on the ship or traveled on a plane with an infected passenger. Two Americans, a passenger and a close contact, have been taken to Emory University Hospital in Atlanta. Preliminary positive tests have also been reported for a Spanish national who disembarked in Tenerife.

The MV Hondius anchored in Spain’s Canary Islands, serving as the point of disembarkation for the final passengers. The operation involved military and government planes for repatriation flights. Passengers underwent health screenings upon arrival in Spain. Medical professionals note that symptoms do not definitively confirm hantavirus infection. Travelers are being subject to isolation periods ranging up to 42 days in some European countries.

Read More: US Cruise Passengers Monitored for Hantavirus After Ship Outbreak

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What happened on the MV Hondius cruise ship?
A hantavirus outbreak occurred on the MV Hondius cruise ship, leading to passengers and crew being repatriated and tested for the virus.
Q: Which countries are receiving passengers from the MV Hondius?
European nations like Belgium, Germany, France, and Greece are receiving passengers, as well as the United States. British passengers are isolating in the UK.
Q: What are the health measures for returning passengers?
Passengers are undergoing medical testing and mandatory isolation periods, which can range up to 42 days in some countries, with varying levels of monitoring.
Q: What is the risk to the general public from the MV Hondius outbreak?
Health authorities have stated that the risk to the general public remains low, as affected individuals are being managed through repatriation and isolation protocols.
Q: How are passengers being repatriated?
The repatriation involves military and government planes for flights, with passengers undergoing health screenings upon arrival in locations like the Canary Islands before returning to their home countries.