Hantavirus-Hit Crew to Be Evacuated from Ship

Two critically ill crew members aboard the MV Hondius, which is currently facing a deadly hantavirus outbreak, will be evacuated to the Netherlands via Cape Verde.

This arrangement allows the Dutch-operated vessel to proceed toward Spain’s Canary Islands, where it is expected to arrive in approximately three to four days.

Upon arrival, all passengers and crew will undergo medical examinations and necessary care before being repatriated to their home countries.

The cruise ship has been under isolation near Praia, Cape Verde, after local authorities denied it docking privileges following the deaths of three passengers.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) is investigating the rare disease, which has seen two confirmed cases and five suspected ones.

While hantavirus is typically spread by rodents, health officials are operating under the assumption that this outbreak involves the Andes virus—a specific strain from South America capable of human-to-human transmission—especially since the operator reported no rats are on board the ship.

The health scare began after a Dutch couple, who had travelled in South America before boarding, became the first fatalities.

One of the victims died after disembarking at Saint Helena, prompting a contact-tracing effort for 88 people who shared a flight with her to Johannesburg.

Experts believe the initial infections occurred off the ship, given the virus’s one-to-six-week incubation period.

The vessel, which began its journey in Argentina on April 1, carries 147 people of 23 different nationalities.