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French passenger develops hantavirus symptoms during repatriation flight
A French national evacuated from the MV Hondius cruise ship fell ill with hantavirus symptoms while on a chartered flight from Tenerife to Paris, Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu confirmed on Sunday. All five French evacuees were immediately placed in strict isolation upon landing at Le Bourget Airport.
Mass evacuations underway as three passengers die
Over 90 tourists were flown home from the Dutch-flagged vessel, which anchored off the Canary Islands before dawn. Three passengers have died after contracting the virus during the voyage, with two cases confirmed as hantavirus. The ship had been sailing with 150 passengers and crew.
Global repatriation efforts
Fourteen Spanish nationals were transported to a military hospital in Madrid for mandatory quarantine. A UK flight carrying British passengers landed in Manchester, where all evacuees are being monitored despite showing no symptoms, according to the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA).
The Netherlands received 26 passengers and crew, including eight Dutch nationals. A U.S.-bound flight carried 18 Americans and one British resident, with two passengers showing mild symptoms or testing positive for the Andes strain. Both were isolated in biocontainment units during the flight, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) reported.
Flights for Turkish and Irish citizens were also completed on Sunday, while Spain's Health Minister Mónica García announced the final two evacuation flights would depart on Monday. Six Australians and 18 additional passengers bound for the Netherlands are scheduled to leave on Monday.
Medical teams board ship as evacuations begin
The Hondius docked at Granadilla port early Sunday, where medical teams began a coordinated evacuation process overseen by the Spanish government and the World Health Organization (WHO). Passengers, all wearing white medical masks, were seen on deck as the first group was ferried ashore. Officials in protective suits greeted evacuees, who were then transported to airports for repatriation.
Some British passengers, dressed in blue protective gear, waved to media as they were driven to their flight. The operation faced opposition from local officials, including the Canary Islands' regional president, who raised concerns about virus transmission on Tenerife.
Hantavirus transmission and symptoms
Hantaviruses are typically spread by rodents, but the Andes strain-believed to have infected some passengers during the ship's South American leg-can transmit between humans. Symptoms include fever, fatigue, muscle pain, gastrointestinal distress, and respiratory issues.
"Passengers disembarked and dispersed globally after deaths from a potentially infectious pathogen on board," said Helen Clark, co-chair of the Independent Panel for Pandemic Preparedness and Response (IPPR). She emphasized the need for improved outbreak protocols on ships.
Clark also noted that global pandemic preparedness remains inadequate, citing insufficient funding for lower-income countries to strengthen early detection and response systems.
Timeline of deaths and ongoing cases
The first passenger death occurred on April 11, followed by a second on May 2. A 69-year-old Dutch woman died in South Africa two days after disembarking in St Helena on April 24. Two British men with confirmed hantavirus are receiving treatment in the Netherlands and South Africa, while a third Briton is being treated for a suspected case on Tristan da Cunha, where British Army medics delivered supplies by parachute.
British evacuees will be isolated for up to 72 hours upon arrival in the UK for medical assessment. The Hondius will proceed to the Netherlands after all passengers disembark, where the body of one deceased passenger and their belongings will be disinfected.
