Hantavirus: Hondius cruise is disinfected and can resume travel after outbreak on board

Cruise ship MV Hondius in the port of Rotterdam, in a photo taken on May 18, 2026
Reuters/Piroschka van de Wouw
The cruise ship MV Hondius, which had aroused concern around the world due to an outbreak of hantavirus on board, was authorized this Saturday (30) to return to sea, after being properly disinfected.
"From a public health point of view, we have already "There are no obstacles to the Hondius' entry into service," Rotterdam's municipal health agency announced on its website, following a final inspection carried out on Friday. that the ship would leave Rotterdam soon, once inspections were completed, and would resume its cruise program from June 13.
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The MV Hondius, which was traveling between Ushuaia, Argentina, and the Cape Verde archipelago, had its voyage interrupted after the death of three passengers due to an outbreak of hantavirus, a rare virus for which there is no vaccine or specific treatment.
The passengers were evacuated in Tenerife, in the Spanish archipelago of the Canary Islands, before being repatriated by plane to their respective countries.
The ship, which sails under the Dutch flag, later concluded its journey on May 18 in Rotterdam, Europe's largest port, where the rest of the crew was quarantined.
The WHO has so far recorded 13 confirmed or probable cases linked to this episode, including the three deaths.

Source: G1