MV Hondius Andes virus outbreak kills three, forces quarantines
The Dutch‑flagged cruise ship MV Hondius experienced an outbreak of the Andes hantavirus, marking the first documented human‑to‑human transmission of this virus outside South America. Three passengers died and two others were hospitalized among ten confirmed or probable cases. After the ship docked in Rotterdam on 18 May, Dutch health officials tested the 27 passengers and crew on board and found no Andes virus infections. Dutch Minister of Health Sophie Hermans said, “All test results for them are negative. This means that no Andes virus infection has been detected in them.”
In the United States, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ordered quarantine for two American passengers transferred to a hospital in Nebraska, with 18 passengers asked to remain under observation through 31 May. The CDC reported no hantavirus cases among the U.S. passengers. The World Health Organization has recorded a total of 11 cases linked to the cruise, including three deaths, with additional cases identified in France, Spain and Canada. Officials consider the risk to the general public low, but the outbreak has raised concerns about disease control on cruise ships and prompted close monitoring by international health agencies.