Hantavirus does not appear to have originated on MV Hondius, line says

The outbreak of hantavirus on a Dutch expedition cruise ship does not appear to have come from the vessel, according to the cruise line.

Rémi Bouysset, Oceanwide Expeditions chief executive, issued a statement after MV Hondius arrived in Rotterdam, about how the company dealt with “one of the most difficult situations in our company’s history”, which saw three fatalities and several others becoming seriously ill after contracting the virus.

He said: “The indications strongly suggest that the virus was introduced prior to embarkation and did not originate from the vessel itself.

“This is based on the medical and epidemiological information currently available, including guidance from WHO experts and relevant health authorities.

“Investigations remain ongoing regarding the exact location where the virus may have been contracted.

“At this stage, there is no indication that the source of infection was linked to the vessel’s condition or to Oceanwide Expeditions’ onboard operations.

“We maintain strict pest-control and biosecurity procedures onboard our vessels, including regular inspections and monitoring.”

The ship arrived in Rotterdam on May 18 and is undergoing a “complete cleaning and sanitisation process” before returning to operations, with the continuation of the Arctic season, currently planned for June 13.

He paid tribute to the cruise line staff who were “under very difficult and emotional circumstances” and “showed calmness, professionalism, resilience, discipline, and care for others”.

“I would especially like to acknowledge Captain Jan Dobrogowski, Expedition Leader Hans Verdaat, the teams onboard m/v Hondius, and our crisis coordination teams ashore in Vlissingen,” he added.

“I also want to sincerely thank the guests onboard for their patience and cooperation throughout this period.”

HV Hondius began its journey on April 1 in Ushuaia, Argentina, with 149 passengers and crew from 28 countries reported to have initially been on board.

More: British passengers repatriated from virus-hit expedition ship to isolate for 45 days