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First Passenger Off Infected Cruise Ship Speaks Out
7 May
Summary
- Ex-cop evacuated from ship due to hantavirus, now in isolation.
- Three deaths confirmed; remaining passengers face quarantine.
- Hantavirus strain can spread person-to-person via fluids.
A former British police officer, Martin Anstee, has been identified as the first passenger evacuated from the MV Hondius due to a hantavirus outbreak. He was removed from the ship on Wednesday and is now in isolation at a hospital in Amsterdam, where doctors are conducting tests to assess his condition. Anstee reported feeling relatively well, but his wife described the experience on board as deeply traumatic.
Alongside Anstee, a Dutch and a German passenger were also evacuated. Health officials are actively engaged in contact tracing for passengers who disembarked earlier, as concerns mount over potential exposure. Tragically, three deaths have been reported, and the remaining passengers are enduring a quarantine onboard.
The outbreak has been confirmed by the World Health Organization to be the Andes virus strain. This particular strain is notable as it is the only known hantavirus capable of human-to-human transmission through close, prolonged contact with bodily fluids.
