29 passengers disembark MV Hondius after first passenger death
Updated
Updated · Forbes · May 7
29 passengers disembark MV Hondius after first passenger death
12 articles · Updated · Forbes · May 7
Oceanwide Expeditions said 30 guests left in Saint Helena on 24 April, while a KLM flight attendant was hospitalised in Amsterdam after contact with an infected Dutch passenger.
The outbreak has been linked to eight cases, including five confirmed and three suspected, with three deaths so far; a German woman died on board on 2 May.
The ship is sailing from Cape Verde to the Canary Islands with no symptomatic people reported aboard, but disembarkations have complicated contact tracing across several countries, including the United States.
Two years after the deadly hantavirus outbreak, have new protocols prevented similar incidents on South American cruises?
After multiple deaths at sea, what were the final legal and financial consequences for the cruise line?
What did the 2024 Hondius investigation reveal about how the rare Andes virus spreads between people?
Deadly Andes Hantavirus on MV Hondius Cruise: 3 Fatalities, International Evacuations, and Ongoing Containment
Overview
The MV Hondius cruise, departing Argentina in March 2026, became the center of a hantavirus outbreak caused by the Andes strain, known for its high mortality and rare human-to-human transmission. Initial exposure likely occurred during excursions in Argentina, leading to infections onboard, including a Dutch passenger who died in April. The virus spread among passengers and crew, causing multiple evacuations and deaths across several countries. Extended incubation and person-to-person transmission complicated containment, prompting strict quarantines and global contact tracing. The outbreak highlights the severe health risks of hantavirus, challenges in confined settings like cruise ships, and the urgent need for improved surveillance and response to emerging infectious diseases.