A crew member aboard the MV Hondius cruise ship has tested positive for hantavirus, bringing the total confirmed cases linked to the outbreak to 12, including three deaths. The World Health Organization (WHO) confirmed the latest case after the crew member, who had disembarked in Tenerife, Spain, was repatriated to the Netherlands and placed in quarantine. Dutch health authorities said the patient was hospitalized as a precaution and remains in isolation.
WHO Updates and Monitoring
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus stated that no new deaths have been reported since May 2, when the outbreak was first reported. Over 600 contacts across 30 countries are still being monitored, with a small number of high-risk contacts yet to be located. The incubation period for hantavirus can last up to six weeks.
Outbreak Origins and Response
The MV Hondius, which set sail from Ushuaia, Argentina, on April 1, carried nearly 150 passengers and crew on a nature-sightseeing expedition. Oceanwide Expeditions, the cruise operator, stated that indications suggest the virus was introduced before embarkation and did not originate from the vessel itself. The WHO is investigating the virus’s origin, with speculation that the first case may have been exposed to rodents during a bird-watching excursion.
Passenger and Crew Status
Twenty crew members and two medical staff members disembarked the ship in the Netherlands for disinfection. Most passengers, including 18 Americans, are under quarantine in their home countries. The ship docked in Tenerife before proceeding to the Netherlands for further decontamination.