Local health authorities have mandated that the MV Hondius cruise ship undergoes a thorough cleaning before setting sail back to its headquarters in Vlissingen, Netherlands. The vessel has been embroiled in a serious outbreak of hantavirus, resulting in 13 confirmed cases and three fatalities.
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():format(jpeg)/general-view-of-the-cruise-ship-MV-Hondius-050426-3dd3fe489caa49d0bf18859fc5de1379.jpg)
In response to these concerning developments, the cruise operator, Oceanwide Expeditions, has decided to cancel two scheduled sailings on May 29 and June 5. The cancellations have been enacted in order to facilitate a comprehensive cleaning operation on the ship, which has already been undergoing scrutiny since its return to Rotterdam.
The MV Hondius is currently on course to embark on a journey to North Spitsbergen, part of Norway’s Arctic Svalbard archipelago, with its next voyage scheduled for June 13. This follows 34 days after approximately 140 passengers and crew members, who were on board when the outbreak occurred, disembarked in the Canary Islands to either return home or quarantine.
On May 18, the ship docked in Rotterdam, where 20 crew members and two state health officials disembarked to oversee the cleaning protocol. Oceanwide Expeditions stated that while these initial two voyages have been cancelled, they are confident that all remaining sailings from June 13 onwards will proceed as planned.
The vessel’s originally intended route to Vlissingen was postponed on May 26 based on recommendations from public health officials who advised further sanitation procedures. Rémi Bouysset, CEO of Oceanwide Expeditions, reassured the public in a statement on May 19 that the firm is committed to maintaining the highest safety standards aboard the MV Hondius as it prepares for future excursions.
Recent updates from the World Health Organization (WHO) have reported that the outbreak’s confirmed case count has now reached 13, with three fatalities confirmed—no additional deaths have been recorded since May 2. In a statement, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus indicated that the situation is stabilising, noting that those who fell ill are receiving necessary treatment, while others remain under quarantine.
The outbreak initially surfaced when the first symptomatic case was identified on April 6, before occurring five days later, leading to the death of a 70-year-old Dutch national aboard the ship. This incident was initially deemed a natural death but has since been revisited amid the outbreak.
After a stop at Saint Helena on April 24, around 30 passengers disembarked, including the deceased man’s spouse, who tragically passed away two days later en route to South Africa. Subsequently, on May 2, another passenger—a German woman—became the third victim of the outbreak, highlighting concerns over the virus’s spread.
Upon reaching Cape Verde, the ship remained anchored before heading to Tenerife, where all remaining passengers and some crew members finally disembarked about a week later. However, upon docking in Rotterdam, further testing revealed a crew member was also infected with the virus, resulting in ongoing monitoring of health protocols aboard the ship.
As preparations for future voyages are finalised, the safety and health of passengers and crew remain Oceanwide Expeditions’ top priority. The company is under considerable scrutiny as it navigates this difficult period, with hopes to resume regular operations while ensuring compliance with health regulations.