A hantavirus outbreak on the expedition cruise ship Hondius has entered a new phase after authorities carried out medical evacuations of ill crew members and allowed the vessel to resume its voyage toward the Canary Islands.
The Hondius departed the waters off Cape Verde on May 6 after several days in quarantine. The vessel had been held offshore following multiple suspected cases of hantavirus, including three deaths linked to the outbreak.
Earlier that day, medical teams evacuated two ill crew members and one passenger. The two crew members, one Dutch and one British, were suffering from respiratory symptoms, with one case described as severe. Both were airlifted on a medical aircraft. The flight had to divert to Gran Canaria for refueling after being denied access to Moroccan airspace, before continuing to the Netherlands.
A German passenger was also evacuated on a separate flight to Düsseldorf. She had been traveling with a passenger who died on May 2 but showed no symptoms at the time of evacuation.
Following the evacuation, the ship resumed its voyage. It is expected to reach Tenerife in about three days, where it will dock at the industrial port of Granadilla. Spanish authorities plan to keep passengers in isolation and conduct full medical screening before arranging repatriation.
The vessel is carrying 149 people, including 88 passengers and 61 crew members, representing 23 nationalities.
Health authorities continue to monitor the situation closely. The World Health Organization confirmed at least two cases of hantavirus and reported no new symptomatic cases in recent days. One previously evacuated passenger remains in hospital in South Africa and is said to be improving.
Investigators believe the virus was likely brought on board by a passenger infected before the voyage began, although they have not ruled out exposure during port calls. The WHO also confirmed that the strain involved is the Andes variant, which in rare cases can spread between people in close contact.
Additional cases linked to the voyage have emerged ashore. Swiss authorities confirmed that a former passenger tested positive for the virus after returning to Europe, while close contacts are now under observation.
On board, the operator, Oceanwide Expeditions, has implemented its highest level of medical protocols. Passengers have been asked to remain in their cabins, while the crew continues enhanced sanitation, isolation, and health monitoring measures.
Despite the seriousness of the incident, the WHO maintains that the overall public health risk remains low.
