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WHO Confirms 11 Hantavirus Cases Linked to MV Hondius as Evacuations Conclude

Health officials say the wider public faces low risk because the Andes strain spreads only through close, prolonged contact.

Overview

  • All passengers left the ship through sealed transfers, with the final flights departing Monday, and the vessel is sailing to the Netherlands for cleaning and disinfection.
  • WHO reports 11 linked cases, including nine confirmed Andes infections and three deaths, as France and Spain confirm new patients under hospital care.
  • Quarantine rules now vary by country, with WHO advising 42 days, the UK using a 72‑hour hospital assessment before about 45 days of home isolation, and the U.S. housing 16 people in Nebraska facilities with two more evaluated in Atlanta.
  • WHO and ECDC stress there is no sign of a larger outbreak, though more cases could surface because symptoms can take up to six weeks to appear.
  • The response includes biocontainment transports, staff quarantines after a handling lapse at a Dutch hospital, and accounts of passengers nearing mental breakdown before evacuation.