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Spain will receive MV Hondius in the Canary Islands after a suspected hantavirus outbreak killed three, treat 147 affected people, then repatriate passengers and crew
Hantavirus is typically a rodent-borne infection, transmitted through contact with or inhalation of particles from rodent urine, droppings or saliva. (Image credits: AFP)
The Spanish Health Ministry confirmed on Tuesday evening it would receive the MV Hondius in the Canary Islands “in accordance with international law and humanitarian principles.”
Once in the Canary Islands, medical teams would examine and treat all passengers and crew and transfer them to their countries, the statement said.
“The World Health Organization has explained that Cape Verde is unable to carry out this operation,” the health ministry said. “The Canary Islands are the closest location with the necessary capabilities. Spain has a moral and legal obligation to assist these people, among whom are also several Spanish citizens.”
Three people have died, and an inquiry is currently in progress after a suspected hantavirus outbreak that affected an Atlantic Ocean cruise ship.
According to a report by Oceanwide Expeditions, the deceased on the MV Hondius cruise ship have been identified as an elderly Dutch couple and a German citizen.
The vessel, sailing from Argentina to Cape Verde, has reported seven suspected cases, including three deaths, two of which have been confirmed as hantavirus infections. A British passenger who was earlier evacuated to South Africa remains in intensive care but is said to be improving.
The outbreak has affected a total of 147 people on the vessel. The ship remains offshore as health officials monitor the situation and restrict movement. The infections are believed to have originated before boarding, likely during travel in South America, and not from within the ship itself.
How Risky Is This Outbreak?
Hantavirus infections can be serious, especially when they progress to lung complications. However, the key concern here is not just severity, but transmission. The WHO said that while human-to-human spread is being investigated, such transmission is extremely rare and typically limited to very close contact, such as between family members or carers. This makes the overall risk moderate within close settings, but low at a broader level.
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