Overview
- GGD Rotterdam said infection‑control teams found the ship effectively cleaned after a final inspection on May 29 and declared there were no public‑health obstacles to putting MV Hondius back to sea.
- Operator Oceanwide Expeditions confirmed all voyages scheduled from June 13 will proceed as planned and said no further disruption to the ship’s schedule is expected.
- The World Health Organization has linked 13 confirmed hantavirus cases to the voyage, including three deaths, prompting multinational contact tracing and repatriation efforts.
- Most passengers were disembarked in Tenerife and flown home; remaining crew were quarantined in Rotterdam and many repatriated passengers are under multi‑week monitoring and isolation orders.
- Health agencies say the outbreak involves the Andes strain, a rodent‑borne hantavirus with rare potential for person‑to‑person spread, there is no vaccine or specific treatment, and authorities will continue surveillance and rodent‑control checks.