Hantavirus-hit cruise ship MV Hondius docks in Spain after evacuations

The cruise ship MV Hondius, which has been stranded off the coast of Cape Verde due to a hantavirus outbreak, has finally set course for Spain and is expected to arrive in Tenerife within three days.

The ship, carrying nearly 150 passengers, had three individuals evacuated, two of whom were reported to be in serious condition. These three were flown to the Netherlands for specialized medical care.

Tragically, three people—a Dutch couple and a German national—have died from the virus. A total of eight individuals, including a Swiss citizen currently receiving treatment in Zurich, are suspected of contracting hantavirus, with laboratory tests confirming three cases.

Spanish authorities have stated that all passengers still on board are asymptomatic. Upon docking in Tenerife, non-Spanish citizens will be repatriated, while the 14 Spanish passengers will undergo a quarantine period of up to 45 days at a military hospital in Madrid.

The outbreak is linked to the Andean strain of hantavirus, which can, in rare instances, spread between humans through very close contact. Health officials are investigating the ship’s itinerary, which began in Ushuaia, Argentina, and included stops in Chile and Saint Helena.

While some residents in Tenerife have expressed concerns, the World Health Organization maintains that the risk to the general public remains low, emphasizing that human-to-human transmission is rare and requires close physical proximity.

Passengers on board have been advised to practice social distancing and good hand hygiene, with one passenger describing the ship’s atmosphere as calm and orderly despite the situation. The ship operator, Oceanwide Expeditions, has been providing regular updates to those on board.

Source: Daily Monitor (Uganda)