Medical situation ‘being managed’ on ship involved in hantavirus outbreak

Oceanwide Expeditions continues to manage a medical situation on board MV Hondius following an outbreak of hantavirus.

 

Three people medically transferred from the ship on Wednesday remain in the care of medical professionals, according to the Dutch-flagged ship’s operator.

 

The vessel remains underway and is heading to the port of Granadilla in Tenerife.

 

“No symptomatic individuals are present on board,” Oceanwide Expeditions said in an update on Thursday afternoon.

 

Medical personnel remain aboard and are leading monitoring during the transit to the Canary Islands.

 

Meanwhile, health authorities are attempting to trace dozens of people who have recently disembarked from the expedition ship. 

 

The World Health Organisation said that overall, five of eight suspected cases of hantavirus had been confirmed. Three people have died, including a 69-year-old Dutch woman, who had the virus.

 

Her Dutch husband and a German woman also died, and their cases are being investigated.

 

Hantavirus typically spreads from rodents - but in the latest outbreak the transmission between people was documented for the first time, according to the WHO.

 

WHO director general Tedros Ghebreyesus reportedly said the organisation "assesses the public health risk as low".

 

He said the first two people with the confirmed virus had "travelled through Argentina, Chile and Uruguay on a bird-watching trip which included visits to sites where the species of rat known to carry the virus was present".

 

MV Hondius is estimated to arrive at the port in Tenerife in the early hours of Sunday morning, however this is subject to change.

 

“Oceanwide Expeditions remains in close and continual discussion with relevant authorities regarding our exact point of arrival, quarantine and screening procedures for all guests, and a precise timeline,” the company said.

 

“Following the disembarkation or evacuation of guests aboard MV Hondius, Oceanwide Expeditions is not involved in medical testing, screening and onward journeys.”

 

The ship left Ushuaia in Argentina on April 1 with 114 passengers on board.

 

Six additional passengers joined at Tristan da Cunha, located between Ushuaia and Saint Helena. This brought the total number to 120, including one who died.

 

Four British people who joined the ship were included in the original manifest of the vessel. Two, believed to be Chilean, were unplanned additions, according to the operator of the ship.

 

The company added: “A discrepancy has been identified in the reported numbers of guests departing Ushuaia and disembarking in Saint Helena on 24 April. 

 

“A total of 120 guests were on board MV Hondius upon arrival in Saint Helena. Of these, 30 disembarked on 24 April 2026. This figure includes the individual who passed away on board MV Hondius on 11 April.”