A luxury expedition cruise ship at the center of a hantavirus outbreak has arrived in the Dutch port of Rotterdam, where authorities have set up quarantine facilities for remaining crew and medical staff on board.
The Dutch-flagged MV Hondius was carrying around 150 passengers and crew from 23 countries when a cluster of severe respiratory illnesses was first reported to the World Health Organization (WHO) on May 2.
Since the outbreak began, three people, a Dutch couple and a German national, have died. A total of 11 cases have been recorded, nine of which have been confirmed.
The vessel, operated by Oceanwide Expeditions, has arrived at the Port of Rotterdam, where officials have prepared quarantine arrangements, including portable medical cabins, for 23 crew members and two medical staff still on board.
It remains unclear whether all individuals will remain under the recommended 42-day quarantine period. The ship itself is set to undergo full disinfection, according to news reports.
Crew members, along with passengers who had already disembarked, have been placed under quarantine or medical monitoring across multiple countries.
The ship’s operator has said it does not anticipate changes to its upcoming sailing schedule, including an Arctic voyage set to depart from Iceland later this month.
Meanwhile, France’s Pasteur Institute confirmed that genetic sequencing of the virus found in a French passenger matched known strains from South America, with no evidence of increased transmissibility or severity.
