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The operator of the cruise vessel MV Hondius has said that the deadly hantavirus outbreak aboard the ship was most likely introduced before passengers embarked, rather than originating on the vessel itself.
Dutch expedition company Oceanwide Expeditions stated that current medical assessments suggest the infection source predates boarding. Three passengers have died following infection with hantavirus, a rare and potentially severe disease for which there are no vaccines or specific antiviral treatments.
CEO Remi Bouysset said the conclusion was based on available medical data and consultations with experts from the World Health Organization (WHO) and national health authorities. He added that there is “no indication” the outbreak is linked to onboard conditions or ship operations.
The MV Hondius, a polar expedition vessel, arrived in Rotterdam on Monday with a reduced crew now undergoing quarantine procedures. According to the operator, those still on board are currently asymptomatic and under continuous medical monitoring by two doctors.
Health authorities have confirmed at least seven cases of hantavirus infection and one additional probable case, according to reported figures compiled from official sources.
Hantavirus is typically transmitted through contact with infected rodents or their droppings, urine, or saliva. The virus is present in several regions of South America, including Argentina, where the voyage began in Ushuaia, Tierra del Fuego.
Officials in the province have stated that local transmission in Ushuaia is considered unlikely, noting the region has not recorded a hantavirus case in decades. However, the Andes strain involved in this outbreak is known to circulate in other parts of Argentina located more than 1,000 kilometers to the north.
The MV Hondius had departed on April 1 from Ushuaia and followed a route through remote South Atlantic islands before sailing north toward Cape Verde and the Canary Islands, prior to its return to Europe.
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