A French citizen evacuated from a Dutch-flagged cruise ship struck by a hantavirus outbreak began showing symptoms during a repatriation flight back to France, according to Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu. The incident unfolded as the MV Hondius docked in Spain’s Canary Islands on Sunday morning, where passengers were carefully disembarked, initially starting with Spanish nationals.
Authorities had previously indicated that no passengers aboard the ship were displaying symptoms of hantavirus, a disease typically transmitted by rodents. However, the situation escalated as patients tested positive for a rare strain of the virus that can be transmitted from person to person. The French passenger, whose specific symptoms remain undisclosed, is one of five individuals placed in strict isolation during the flight.
With at least nine confirmed or suspected cases of hantavirus linked to the cruise ship, the outbreak has already claimed three lives: a Dutch couple and a German woman. The Hondius was carrying nearly 150 people from over 15 countries, including 17 Americans, and had been on a voyage from Cape Verde to Granadilla when Spain agreed to accept the ship.
The evacuation process was complex, with Oceanwide Expeditions, the ship’s operator, implementing stringent health measures. Passengers and a portion of the approximately 60 crew members were evacuated using small launch boats, each carrying only five to ten people. Upon disembarkation, individuals were screened for symptoms to prevent any potential spread of the virus.
Health officials emphasized that the risk to the general public remains low, although precautions were taken during the evacuation process. Passengers and port workers donned face masks, hazmat suits, and respirators to mitigate any risk of transmission. A video released by Spain’s defense ministry illustrated the precautions taken, showing surfaces wrapped in plastic and crew members in protective gear.
Following the disembarkation, the ship is scheduled to return to Rotterdam, Netherlands, where it will undergo disinfection. A deceased passenger’s body will remain on board until the ship arrives at its final destination. In the meantime, U.S. nationals are expected to be the last group evacuated, with the CDC dispatching a team of medical professionals to assess exposure risks and determine monitoring protocols.
American passengers will be transported back to the U.S. via a medical repatriation flight, landing at Offutt Air Force Base in Nebraska, where they will be placed in a biocontainment unit at the University of Nebraska Medical Center. Each passenger will be isolated in individual rooms during the quarantine period. British and Spanish authorities have announced similar measures for their respective nationals, with U.K. passengers set to be hospitalized for observation and Spanish nationals quarantined at a military hospital in Madrid.
The outbreak’s timeline reveals that the source of the hantavirus is still under investigation. The deceased Dutch couple had traveled extensively in South America prior to boarding the ship, where they likely encountered the rodent species associated with the Andes strain of the virus. The husband exhibited symptoms on April 6 and died on April 11, but testing for hantavirus was not conducted at that time. His wife, who later displayed symptoms, died in South Africa after being evacuated from the ship.
As health officials continue to monitor the situation, the World Health Organization’s Director-General, Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, reassured the public that the risk posed by the outbreak is low, distinguishing it from previous health crises like COVID-19. He noted that ongoing scientific evaluations of the virus and its behavior thus far have informed this assessment, urging the public not to panic.
As the situation develops, authorities remain focused on ensuring the safety and health of both the passengers involved and the general public, while further studies are needed to understand the full scope of the outbreak and its implications.
Source: CBS News
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