Captain Jan Dobrogowski Leaves MV Hondius After Hantavirus Outbreak

Captain Jan Dobrogowski has been allowed to disembark the cruise ship MV Hondius following a hantavirus outbreak that affected passengers and crew. The World Health Organization’s director‑general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus confirmed the captain’s safe exit, stating, “Acabei de receber a última mensagem do capitão Jan Dobrogowski, que finalmente desembarcou do navio de cruzeiro MV Hondius hoje. Ele permanece sem sintomas de hantavírus.”

The WHO reported a total of 12 confirmed or suspected cases, including three deaths, with a case‑fatality rate of about 27%. The first infection is believed to have occurred before the ship left Ushuaia, Argentina, on 1 April, and the vessel later docked in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, after a stop in the Canary Islands, Spain. All passengers and crew have been placed under quarantine, and more than 600 close contacts are being monitored in roughly 30 countries.

Authorities are investigating evidence of rare person‑to‑person transmission of hantavirus on board, a scenario not previously documented for this virus. No specific vaccine or treatment exists, and the virus has an incubation period of one to six weeks, prompting continued vigilance for additional cases.