MV Hondius Evacuation Nears Finish After French and US Hantavirus Cases Confirmed

Overview

• Health officials, who updated the situation Monday, confirmed a French passenger in Paris and an American evacuee tested positive, and a second American showed mild symptoms.
• Staged evacuations in Tenerife used full protective gear and military transport, with final repatriation flights due Monday and the ship set to sail for the Netherlands with part of the crew.
• France issued a decree placing its five returnees in hospital isolation that can extend to 42 days, Spain isolated 14 nationals at a military hospital, and US authorities said each traveler will get clinical evaluation rather than automatic quarantine.
• WHO counts six confirmed infections among eight suspected cases linked to the voyage, including three deaths, from the Andes hantavirus strain that can spread between people, has up to six weeks of incubation, and lacks a vaccine or specific treatment.
• French authorities identified 22 flight contacts from April 25 for quarantine and follow‑up, and WHO says overall public risk remains low, though more positives could surface among close contacts during the long incubation window.