Home / Health / Cruise Ship Hantavirus Outbreak: Passengers Quarantined
Cruise Ship Hantavirus Outbreak: Passengers Quarantined
12 May
Summary
- 122 individuals evacuated, with most returning to home countries.
- Three passengers have died, and several others confirmed or probable cases.
- Passengers face weeks of monitoring and potential isolation in quarantine facilities.
An outbreak of the rare hantavirus on the MV Hondius cruise ship, which departed Ushuaia, Argentina, last month, has prompted a global repatriation and monitoring effort. As of Tuesday morning, 122 individuals, including 87 passengers and 35 crew members, had been evacuated from the ship, which was anchored off Cape Verde and later the Canary Islands.
Most passengers have returned to their home countries, but many face weeks of monitoring and potential isolation. In the United States, 18 individuals, including one in a biocontainment unit after testing positive, are being monitored at medical facilities in Nebraska and Georgia. Three passengers have died since April 11, and several others have confirmed or probable cases.
The remaining 27 people on board, comprising 25 crew members and two medical professionals, are sailing to Rotterdam, Netherlands, where the ship will undergo disinfection. Health authorities emphasize that the risk to the general public remains very low, as the Andes variant of hantavirus requires prolonged, close contact with a symptomatic individual for transmission.
