Hantavirus Cruise Ship Heads to Rotterdam for Clean‑Up

The MV Hondius, a Dutch‑flagged cruise liner, arrived in Rotterdam on Monday morning. Its crew of 25 and two doctors are set to be quarantined while the ship is disinfected. The vessel had carried about 150 people from 23 nations when a group of severe lung illnesses first alerted the World Health Organization on May 2. Three individuals – a Dutch couple and a German traveler – have died since the outbreak began. The ship was stranded near Cape Verde earlier in the month because authorities stopped passengers from disembarking. Spain handled the evacuation at the Canary Islands, after which the ship sailed to Rotterdam with a minimal crew and medical staff.Hantavirus mainly spreads through rodents, but can jump between people in rare cases after long, close contact. The virus’s incubation period can reach about six weeks, so new cases may appear for months. WHO has counted ten confirmed or probable infections worldwide, including the three deaths. A Canadian passenger tested positive after leaving Rotterdam, raising the total to eleven cases according to WHO. Dutch residents are watching closely but do not expect a new pandemic. Some worry about people staying in quarantine, while others feel calm after learning more about the disease. The World Health Organization advises a 42‑day quarantine for high‑risk contacts and monitoring for those at lower risk.