Home / Health / Hantavirus Outbreak: Ship Not Source, CEO Claims
Hantavirus Outbreak: Ship Not Source, CEO Claims
20 May
Summary
- Hantavirus outbreak strongly suggests it began before ship boarding.
- Three fatalities and multiple critical cases confirmed by WHO.
- MV Hondius to undergo full sanitization before resuming operations.
Oceanwide Expeditions CEO Rémi Bouysset announced that evidence strongly indicates the hantavirus outbreak on the MV Hondius began before the vessel's passengers embarked. This statement follows three confirmed fatalities and other critical cases linked to the outbreak, as reported by the World Health Organization.
The WHO director-general confirmed 11 cases associated with the outbreak. While the company acknowledges the tragic human toll, Bouysset emphasized that the virus does not appear to have originated from the ship's conditions. Investigations are actively continuing to determine the exact location where the virus was contracted.
The MV Hondius docked in Rotterdam, Netherlands, on Monday. Passengers who disembarked earlier this month on Tenerife, including Canadians, are being monitored. The crew members who have since disembarked will remain in quarantine until June 29. The vessel itself is set to undergo a comprehensive cleaning and sanitization process.
This extensive cleaning, along with the implementation of new protocols and a full crew transition, will precede the ship's return to operational status. Oceanwide Expeditions is committed to completing these crucial steps responsibly and thoroughly.
