Authorities have confirmed that an American and a French national tested positive for hantavirus after disembarking the MV Hondius, a cruise ship struck by a deadly outbreak of the disease. The vessel is currently docked at the port of Grandilla de Abona in Tenerife, Spain, as international health agencies scramble to manage the repatriation of passengers.
New Cases and Deteriorating Conditions
The French Health Minister, Stéphanie Rist, confirmed that a French woman is currently isolating in Paris. Her health is deteriorating, and authorities have already traced 22 close contacts.
In the United States, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) confirmed one positive case. A second American national on the same repatriation flight exhibited mild symptoms. Both passengers were transported in biocontainment units “out of an abundance of caution.”
The Origin of the Outbreak and Fatalities
The World Health Organization (WHO) believes passengers contracted the Andes strain of the hantavirus while the ship was in South America. The MV Hondius departed Ushuaia, Argentina, on April 1.
The outbreak has claimed three lives so far:
- April 11: An elderly Dutch man died on board after developing symptoms (classified as a probable case as no tests were administered).
- April 26: His 69-year-old wife, who disembarked at St Helena and flew to South Africa, died in a Johannesburg clinic (confirmed case).
- May 2: A German woman died on board the vessel (confirmed case).
Conflicting Health Protocols: WHO vs. CDC
Hantaviruses are primarily carried by rodents, but human-to-human transmission is possible with the Andes strain. Symptoms include fever, extreme fatigue, muscle aches, stomach pain, vomiting, diarrhea, and shortness of breath.
A rift has emerged between international and U.S. health officials regarding containment strategies:
-
The WHO Directive: WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has recommended a strict 42-day isolation period for anyone leaving the MV Hondius. He warned that the U.S. decision to bypass these guidelines “may have risks.”
-
The U.S. CDC Stance: Dr. Jay Bhattacharya, acting head of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), pushed back against the WHO’s extended quarantine recommendation. He insisted that human-to-human transmission remains rare and cautioned against treating the outbreak with the same protocols as the COVID-19 pandemic to avoid inciting public panic.
Global Repatriation Efforts
More than 90 passengers are currently being repatriated across the globe. Evacuees were pictured disembarking in Tenerife wearing blue gowns, bouffant caps, and medical face masks.
| Country | Evacuee Status and Quarantine Protocols |
| United States | 17 citizens (and 1 UK resident) were flown back and will undergo clinical assessment at a Nebraska medical facility. 7 other passengers previously returned and are being monitored in their home states. |
| United Kingdom | 20 nationals flew into Manchester Airport and are isolating for 72 hours at Arrowe Park Hospital in Merseyside; none have reported symptoms. Two other British nationals with confirmed cases are being treated in the Netherlands and South Africa. |
| Spain | 14 Spaniards were flown to Madrid and face mandatory quarantine at a military hospital. Two more evacuation flights are scheduled for Monday afternoon. |
| Netherlands | A flight carrying 26 passengers and crew (including 8 Dutch nationals) arrived on Sunday. |
| Ukraine | 5 citizens are asymptomatic. 4 will remain on board as crew to transfer the ship to the Netherlands, where they will then quarantine. 1 is flying directly to the Netherlands. |
Current Status of the MV Hondius
Spanish officials confirmed that 54 passengers and crew remained on board as of Monday morning. Spanish Health Minister Mónica García stated that 22 people, including four Australians, one Briton, and one New Zealander, would disembark on Monday to fly to the Netherlands. The MV Hondius is expected to depart Tenerife for the Netherlands shortly after.
Tragically, the ongoing repatriation operation in Spain was marred by the death of a police officer, who suffered a fatal cardiac arrest while on duty at the port.
In a video message released Monday by Oceanwide Expeditions, the operator of the MV Hondius, Captain Jan Dobrogowski praised the patience and discipline of those on board. “The past few weeks have been extremely challenging to us all,” he said, adding that the crew’s thoughts remain “with the ones that are no longer with us.”
