Hantavirus Patients Reach the Netherlands as Ship Proceeds on Its Voyage

A cruise ship associated with a severe hantavirus outbreak is making its way to Spain’s Canary Islands after three individuals were evacuated, with two already receiving medical assistance in the Netherlands, according to the vessel’s operator.

The ship, the Dutch-flagged Hondius, set sail from Cape Verde on Wednesday evening and is expected to reach the Canary Islands in approximately three to four days, as per Oceanwide Expeditions BV, the operator. A plane designated to transport the third evacuee has faced delays, while three additional medical personnel have boarded the ship to provide support during the journey.

Spanish Health Minister Mónica García updated the press, indicating that the ship is likely to dock at the Granadilla de Abona port in Tenerife on Saturday. However, regional officials have raised concerns regarding the plans and their timing. The outbreak has prompted a coordinated response across borders, with authorities collaborating on evacuations, screenings, and repatriation procedures in various countries.

“All passengers and crew remaining aboard as of today are asymptomatic,” García mentioned. “Unless a medical issue arises, all foreign passengers will be repatriated,” in accordance with a protocol set by the European Commission, with help from the World Health Organization. The 13 Spanish passengers and one crew member will be moved to a military hospital in Madrid for quarantine.

The World Health Organization has reported eight medical cases linked to the cruise — five suspected and three confirmed — including three deaths. Passengers, crew, and expedition staff from 23 different countries are still on the Hondius.

Hantavirus is a rare infection typically transmitted through contact with contaminated rodent excretions or inhalation of infected dust. Symptoms can take weeks to appear, and in severe cases, the condition can rapidly deteriorate into respiratory failure, with fatality rates approaching 50% in the Americas.

The first patient, a Dutch man, and his wife had traveled in South America before boarding the ship in Argentina on April 1. Both have since passed away.

A patient who returned from the initial voyage in late April is currently receiving treatment at University Hospital Zurich after testing positive for the Andes variant of the virus, which has been linked to rare human-to-human transmission. The patient is in isolation, while his asymptomatic wife, who traveled with him, is self-isolating as a precaution.

The National Institute for Communicable Diseases in South Africa has also identified the Andes variant, where one evacuated patient is receiving intensive care. Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi reported that South Africa has traced 62 individuals connected to the outbreak, including recent arrivals and local contacts, with 42 traced so far, and no confirmed cases of the virus.

The Swiss government announced Wednesday that the public has a low risk of contagion and assesses the likelihood of additional cases in Switzerland to be minimal.

Investigators are actively working to ascertain how the virus spread, including whether infections occurred before boarding or via limited transmission among close contacts onboard.

© 2026 Bloomberg