Three suspected hantavirus patients have been evacuated from the stranded luxury cruise ship MV Hondius and are being transferred to the Netherlands for specialised medical treatment as international health agencies intensify efforts to contain the outbreak. The evacuation was confirmed by World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, who said authorities are working urgently to manage the situation aboard the vessel, which has remained stranded off the coast of Cape Verde with nearly 150 passengers and crew members onboard. The transfer marks the latest emergency response in a growing international health scare that has already led to multiple deaths, cross-border tracing operations, and fears surrounding a rare strain of the virus capable of limited human-to-human transmission. According to reports, the ship is expected to continue towards Spain after the medical evacuation is completed.
The outbreak has already claimed the lives of a Dutch couple and a German passenger who had travelled aboard the expedition vessel. In addition, a British national evacuated earlier from the ship remains in intensive care in South Africa. Health authorities in Switzerland have also confirmed that another passenger who recently returned from the voyage tested positive for hantavirus and is currently receiving treatment in Zurich. The Dutch foreign ministry stated that it is coordinating the evacuation of three suspected patients, including one Dutch citizen, and emphasised that all efforts are being focused on ensuring the transfer takes place as quickly and safely as possible. Officials added that detailed information regarding transportation logistics and timelines would only be released once arrangements are fully finalised. Despite the alarming developments, authorities in Europe have maintained that the situation currently poses no immediate threat to the broader public.
The outbreak aboard the MV Hondius has drawn particular concern because South African health authorities identified a strain of hantavirus associated with rare instances of human-to-human transmission. While hantavirus is typically spread through contact with infected rodents, including exposure to their urine, droppings, or saliva, some outbreaks involving the Andes strain in South America have shown evidence of limited transmission between close human contacts. The WHO has noted that the current outbreak may involve similar transmission patterns among individuals who shared cabins or spent extended periods in close proximity aboard the cruise ship. This possibility has prompted heightened monitoring and international coordination, especially because the voyage began in Argentina, where the Andes strain has historically circulated. However, health agencies continue to stress that such transmission remains extremely uncommon and that the overall public risk is still considered low.
As part of containment efforts, South African authorities have launched extensive contact tracing operations involving dozens of people who may have interacted with infected passengers during evacuations and transit. Officials said at least 62 contacts, including airline crew members, healthcare workers, and other passengers, are currently being monitored throughout the virus’s incubation period. So far, none of the traced contacts have tested positive. Meanwhile, Cape Verde has continued refusing permission for passengers to disembark due to concerns over the outbreak spreading locally. The decision effectively left the ship stranded at sea for days while international agencies negotiated emergency solutions for medical care and passenger management.
Spain later agreed to receive the MV Hondius after requests from the World Health Organization and the European Union, citing humanitarian obligations and international law. Spanish authorities said the ship would eventually dock in the Canary Islands, where passengers and crew would undergo medical screening, treatment, and repatriation procedures under strict health protocols. The incident has become one of the most closely watched infectious disease emergencies involving a cruise vessel in recent years, combining concerns over international travel, rare viral transmission patterns, and the challenges of managing a health crisis far from major medical infrastructure. As investigations continue, global health agencies are attempting to determine how the outbreak began, whether further transmission occurred onboard, and what additional precautions may be needed to prevent future cases linked to the voyage.
