Hantavirus-hit cruise ship heads to Canary Islands after emergency evacuations
The MV Hondius cruise ship is sailing toward Spain’s Canary Islands after three passengers were medically evacuated following a confirmed hantavirus outbreak onboard.
Cruise operator Oceanwide Expeditions confirmed that two seriously ill evacuees have arrived in the Netherlands for treatment, while a third passenger remains on a delayed evacuation flight in stable condition.
The evacuated individuals are British, Dutch and German nationals. Among them is a 41-year-old Dutch crew member and a British passenger identified by multiple reports as former police officer Martin Anstee, who is said to be in stable condition.
The vessel had been anchored near Cape Verde for three days before resuming its journey toward the Canary Islands.
So far, three people aboard the ship have died since the cruise departed from Argentina around a month ago.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has confirmed at least eight hantavirus-related cases linked to the ship, including three confirmed infections and five suspected cases.
Health officials in South Africa identified the Andes strain of hantavirus in two confirmed patients. This strain, commonly found in Latin America, is notable because it has previously shown evidence of limited human-to-human transmission.
Authorities are continuing contact tracing efforts after infected passengers travelled through multiple countries.
A passenger who disembarked earlier and returned to Switzerland has also tested positive and is receiving treatment in Zurich.
Meanwhile, health departments in Georgia and Arizona in the United States are monitoring passengers who had previously left the vessel. Officials say none are currently showing symptoms.
A total of 146 passengers from 23 countries remain aboard the ship under strict health protocols, including isolation and hygiene measures.
Testing is ongoing to determine whether additional passengers or crew members have contracted the virus.
Spanish authorities have agreed for the ship to dock in Tenerife, where all passengers will undergo medical screening upon arrival.
Spain’s Health Ministry said foreign passengers who are medically cleared will be repatriated to their home countries, while Spanish nationals will be quarantined in Madrid.
However, Canary Islands President Fernando Clavijo has publicly opposed the ship’s arrival, arguing authorities have not provided sufficient information.
Health experts have stressed that hantavirus is typically spread through rodents and is not easily transmitted between humans, unlike viruses such as flu or COVID-19.
Officials say the wider public risk remains low, but investigations into the outbreak are ongoing.
