Oceanwide Expeditions announced Wednesday they will determine by Friday whether their cruise vessel will proceed with planned summer Arctic voyages following a fatal hantavirus outbreak that claimed three lives.
The MV Hondius, flying under a Dutch flag, had been scheduled to embark on Arctic expeditions starting with a May 29 departure, according to the cruise line’s website.
The deadly outbreak has resulted in three fatalities, including a married couple from the Netherlands who health authorities believe contracted the virus first during their South American travels. Medical officials have documented 11 total cases linked to the outbreak, with nine receiving laboratory confirmation.
Following the vessel’s arrival at Spain’s Canary Islands earlier this week, where all remaining passengers were evacuated, Oceanwide Expeditions initially stated Monday they did not “foresee changes to our operations.”
However, the company revised their position Wednesday, explaining they anticipate “clarity on whether the vessel will sail and the sailing schedule by the end of this week.”
More than 120 individuals who were aboard during the health crisis – encompassing all passengers plus select crew members – departed the ship Sunday and Monday. These individuals are currently under quarantine protocols in various nations. The vessel has since departed for Rotterdam in the Netherlands, with an anticipated arrival between May 17 and 18.
Currently remaining aboard are 25 crew members, two medical personnel, and the remains of one deceased passenger. The cruise operator reports none of those still on the ship are displaying symptoms.
Medical experts note that hantavirus typically transmits through contact with rodent waste and rarely passes between humans, although the specific Andes strain identified aboard the Hondius can occasionally spread person-to-person. The virus typically manifests symptoms one to eight weeks following initial exposure.
