MV Hondius passengers to disembark in Tenerife after hantavirus outbreak
Updated
Updated · BBC.com · May 8
MV Hondius passengers to disembark in Tenerife after hantavirus outbreak
14 articles · Updated · BBC.com · May 8
Spain and the WHO agreed the weekend operation, with passengers ferried offshore to Granadilla port; 14 Spaniards will be flown to Madrid for quarantine.
Dock workers protested in Santa Cruz over safety measures and information, and some threatened to block the ship's arrival despite government assurances residents will have no contact with passengers.
The ship came from Cape Verde, where three ill people were evacuated; the outbreak had already been linked to three deaths and eight cases, reviving local memories of early Covid restrictions.
A rare virus outbreak on a cruise ship: an isolated tragedy or a warning for all future adventure travel?
Could this single hantavirus case force a permanent change in health protocols for the entire global cruise industry?
With a 50% fatality rate but low transmissibility, is the global hantavirus alert a necessary precaution or fueling panic?
Deadly Hantavirus Strain Spreads Aboard MV Hondius Cruise Ship, Prompting Global Health Emergency
Overview
In May 2026, the MV Hondius cruise ship, carrying about 150 people from 28 countries, faced a serious hantavirus outbreak caused by the Andes strain, which can spread between people through close contact. The infection began with a Dutch couple infected before boarding in Argentina, leading to eight confirmed cases and three deaths onboard. All symptomatic passengers were evacuated, and the ship docked in Tenerife under strict quarantine measures. International efforts coordinated repatriation and contact tracing across at least 12 nations. Despite local opposition, health authorities and WHO assessed the broader public risk as low, emphasizing the need for careful infection control and ongoing scientific study to prevent future outbreaks.