ROTTERDAM, Netherlands (AP) — A cruise vessel affected by a fatal hantavirus outbreak is set to dock at Rotterdam’s port in the Netherlands Monday morning.
The MV Hondius completed a six-day voyage from the Canary Islands, where the final passengers were removed from the ship by staff wearing complete protective equipment and put on aircraft bound for over 20 nations for quarantine purposes.
The virus outbreak aboard the vessel has infected 11 individuals, with nine cases receiving confirmation. Three travelers have lost their lives, including a Dutch couple whom health authorities believe were initially infected with the virus during a visit to South America.
The Public Health Agency of Canada reported that one of four Canadian citizens in isolation following their departure from the ship tested positive on Sunday, and they would provide details about the case to the World Health Organization.
The ship completed its voyage from Tenerife along the African and European coastlines carrying 25 crew members and two medical staff. Ship operator Oceanwide Expeditions stated that no one aboard the vessel is showing any symptoms.
Crew members unable to travel home will undergo quarantine in the Netherlands, according to the Dutch health ministry’s announcement last week. Approximately two dozen passengers and crew are currently quarantined in the Netherlands after reaching the country through multiple flights during the past two weeks.
Eighteen Americans are presently under medical supervision at specialized treatment centers in the United States equipped to handle patients with hazardous infectious illnesses.
Following the disembarkation of all individuals on board, the vessel will undergo decontamination according to Dutch public health protocols. “Personal protective measures are being taken to ensure that the cleaners do not need to quarantine after the cleaning,” the health ministry stated in correspondence to the Dutch parliament last week.
Public health authorities will examine the ship before permitting it to resume operations. The hantavirus outbreak on the MV Hondius represents the first documented incident on a cruise vessel.
The Dutch company operating the cruise ship indicated it does not anticipate any modifications to its business operations. The company has an Arctic voyage departing from Keflavik, Iceland, scheduled for May 29.
France’s Pasteur Institute announced Saturday that it completed full genetic sequencing of the Andes virus identified in a French passenger from the MV Hondius cruise vessel and determined it corresponds with viruses previously identified in South America, showing no indication of new features that would increase transmission or severity.
