A cruise ship linked to a deadly hantavirus outbreak has left Spain’s Canary Islands and is now heading to the Netherlands, after the remaining passengers were removed from the vessel and flown home for quarantine. The MV Hondius, a Dutch-flagged cruise ship operated by Oceanwide Expeditions, departed from Tenerife on Monday evening after the final group of passengers disembarked. The ship is now expected to sail to Rotterdam, with a provisional arrival date set for the evening of Sunday, May 17, 2026.
The outbreak has caused international concern after three people died and several others tested positive for the virus. Hantavirus is a rare disease that is usually associated with rodents, although health authorities have said the wider public risk remains low.
Final Passengers Removed From MV Hondius
The last 28 people on board were taken off the MV Hondius before the ship began its journey to the Netherlands. The vessel is now sailing with 25 crew members and two medical staff on board. It is also carrying the body of a German passenger who died during the cruise.
The evacuation followed a complex operation in Tenerife. A day earlier, 94 people from 19 nationalities were removed from the ship. Spanish authorities had initially allowed the vessel only to anchor offshore due to health and safety concerns, but it was later permitted to dock because of poor weather conditions.
At the port of Granadilla de Abona, passengers were escorted off the ship under strict supervision and taken toward repatriation flights. Spain’s central government stressed that the evacuation was organised to avoid contact with the local population. The final evacuees included passengers from Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom, along with crew members.
Confirmed Cases Reported in Several Countries
Health authorities in several countries are now monitoring passengers and close contacts linked to the cruise. In France, one woman who had been evacuated and placed in isolation in Paris began feeling unwell on Sunday night. French Health Minister Stephanie Rist said tests later came back positive.
Spain’s health ministry also confirmed that a Spanish passenger tested positive. Results for 13 other Spanish evacuees were negative at the time of reporting.
In the United States, health officials said one evacuated American had mild symptoms, while another tested positive for the Andes virus, the only hantavirus strain known to spread between humans. Meanwhile, in the Netherlands, 12 hospital staff members at Radboud University Hospital were placed in precautionary quarantine after procedural errors occurred while treating an infected evacuee. The hospital said the workers would remain isolated for six weeks, even though the risk of infection was considered low.
Authorities Say Public Risk Remains Low
Despite the seriousness of the outbreak, health officials have repeatedly said there is no indication of a wider public health threat. There are currently no specific vaccines or targeted treatments for hantavirus, but authorities have rejected comparisons with the Covid-19 pandemic. Spanish officials said all measures during the evacuation were focused on preventing possible chains of transmission.
Spain’s health ministry said passengers were medically checked and escorted through the evacuation process under controlled conditions. Officials said prevention and transmission-control measures had been applied from the beginning.
According to the World Health Organisation and national health authorities, seven cases have been confirmed in the outbreak, with one additional case listed as probable. Citizens from six countries have been affected. Investigations are also continuing into other suspected cases and possible close contacts. Health teams in multiple countries are tracing passengers who had already left the ship, as well as people who may have interacted with them afterward.
Cruise Operator Pays Tribute to Crew and Passengers
In a video released on Monday, Oceanwide Expeditions shared a message from the ship’s captain, Jan Dobrogowski.
He praised the unity shown by those on board and highlighted the courage and commitment of the crew during the crisis. The company said the ship’s journey to Rotterdam is expected to take around six days.
Questions Remain Over Source of the Outbreak
The MV Hondius began its voyage from Argentina on April 1, travelling across the Atlantic toward Cape Verde. Argentina is an area where hantavirus is considered endemic.
The WHO believes the first infection may have occurred before the voyage began, followed by human-to-human transmission on board the ship. However, Argentine health officials have questioned whether the outbreak started in Ushuaia, pointing to the virus’s long incubation period and other factors that may complicate the timeline.
For now, the MV Hondius is continuing toward the Netherlands as health authorities across several countries work to contain the outbreak, monitor evacuees and identify any further possible cases.