Overview
- WHO on Thursday reported 11 Hondius cases tied to the Andes strain, including eight lab‑confirmed infections and three deaths.
- ECDC said viral genomes from the Hondius cases are "practically identical," pointing to a single animal‑to‑human spillover with limited person‑to‑person spread.
- Passengers were evacuated and repatriated after the Hondius reached Tenerife, and the ship is heading to Rotterdam for port disinfection with arrival expected Monday.
- French officials on Wednesday eased the Ambition quarantine after confirming a viral gastroenteritis, keeping about 50 sick people isolated while noting a 92‑year‑old passenger died of a heart attack unrelated to the outbreak.
- Argentine scientists plan rodent sampling around Ushuaia, the voyage’s embarkation area, to check for carriers that could explain the initial spillover.