Cruise Ship With Hantavirus Outbreak Docks in Netherlands

The cruise ship MV Hondius, affected by a hantavirus outbreak, completed its journey to the Netherlands on Monday. The seven-week trip covered 8,500 miles and involved 11 reported infections and three fatalities due to the rare disease.

Docking in Rotterdam at just after 4:30 a.m. ET, the Hondius was prepared for a thorough disinfection process. This follows global concern sparked by the virus outbreak, known to spread primarily through rodents. Remaining on board were Captain Jan Dobrogowski and 26 crew members, after most passengers, including 18 Americans, returned to their home countries for quarantine. The ship also carried the body of a German passenger who passed away at sea.

Departing from Ushuaia, Argentina, on April 1, the Hondius was on a nature expedition through remote islands. Almost 150 individuals were initially on the vessel. The World Health Organization is investigating to determine how the virus was introduced, considering that an initial case might have contracted the virus from rodents during a bird-watching trip.

Nine infections have been confirmed among the ship’s passengers, with two additional suspected cases. The hantavirus incubation period lasts up to six weeks. A Canadian passenger tested positive last week and is currently hospitalized with the Andes strain, which is transmissible between people.

Other passengers, including those from the United States, are now in isolation at home or hotels after the ship stopped at Tenerife in the Canary Islands on May 10. The vessel had been unable to dock in Cape Verde, West Africa, due to restrictions.

Hantavirus, while endemic in parts of South America, rarely affects humans and was unprecedented on a cruise ship. Health officials internationally and in the U.S. have worked to mitigate fears of a broader outbreak.

The Hondius is scheduled for additional voyages as soon as next month, pending disinfection and clearance by health authorities. A “Polar Cruise” is advertised on Polartours, beginning June 5, with prices starting at $5,750 per attendee.