Ask Onix
Evacuations underway after hantavirus cases confirmed on cruise ship
Two critically ill passengers evacuated from the MV Hondius have arrived in the Netherlands for medical treatment, Oceanwide Expeditions confirmed on Thursday. A third passenger, in stable condition, faces delays in evacuation.
Ship rerouted amid health crisis
The cruise liner, currently sailing toward Spain's Canary Islands, had been anchored near Cape Verde for three days. The vessel departed Argentina a month ago and has reported three deaths since its journey began.
Of the 146 remaining passengers and crew from 23 countries, eight have been identified with hantavirus-three confirmed and five suspected-according to the World Health Organization (WHO).
Nationalities and conditions of evacuees
The evacuated individuals include a 65-year-old German passenger linked to a woman who died on board on May 2, a 56-year-old British former police officer identified as Martin Anstee, and a 41-year-old Dutch crew member. None have tested positive for hantavirus, though two show symptoms.
Anstee, one of 19 British passengers on board, was described as stable upon arrival in the Netherlands. The German evacuee had close contact with the deceased woman, who was not confirmed to have hantavirus.
Global health authorities monitor potential exposures
Health agencies in the U.S. are tracking three passengers who disembarked earlier. Georgia's public health department reported two residents under observation, while Arizona is monitoring one individual-all asymptomatic.
A Swiss man who traveled home after leaving the ship tested positive for hantavirus and is hospitalized in Zurich. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus stated the patient responded to an email from the ship's operator about the outbreak.
In the UK, two British nationals are self-isolating after potential exposure but remain symptom-free.
Strain identified and transmission concerns
South African authorities confirmed the Andes strain of hantavirus in two confirmed cases. This strain, prevalent in Latin America, has previously shown human-to-human transmission in outbreaks.
"The way hantavirus is transmitted is very different than COVID and flu. We're not talking about casual contact from very far away, but really physical contact," said WHO official Dr. Maria Van Kerkhove.
Contact tracing is ongoing for a Dutch woman who died in South Africa after flying from Johannesburg to Amsterdam on April 25. KLM Airlines confirmed she was briefly on one of their flights before being denied boarding due to her condition.
Dispute over ship's destination
Spanish authorities approved the MV Hondius's rerouting to the Canary Islands, but regional president Fernando Clavijo opposed the decision, citing insufficient information and lack of technical justification.
Spain's Health Minister Mónica García stated all passengers would undergo medical assessments in Tenerife. Foreign nationals would be repatriated, while Spanish citizens would quarantine at a defense hospital in Madrid. She assured the public there would be no risk to Canary Islands residents.
Ongoing investigations and precautions
Health officials continue testing passengers and crew for hantavirus. The ship's operator emphasized that the remaining 146 individuals are under strict precautionary measures.
The three deaths on board include a Dutch woman who died in South Africa, her husband who died on April 11 (not a confirmed case), and a German woman whose body remains on the ship.
