The WHO officially declared the outbreak over on July 2nd , after the last contact completed quarantine and tested negative. No new cases were reported after May 25th , and contact tracing of more than 650 people in 33 countries helped contain the spread. The outbreak, while serious, did not pose a high risk to the general population, according to health authorities.
The hantavirus outbreak on the MV Hondius
The MV Hondius, owned by the Dutch shipping company Oceanwide Expeditions, set sail on March 20 from Ushuaia, Argentina, bound for Antarctica. During the voyage, three passengers died from hantavirus , two on board and one after disembarking on the island of Saint Helena. The variant identified was the Andes virus , which can be transmitted between people through close and prolonged contact, something unusual with other hantaviruses.
Health authorities confirmed that the initial exposure likely occurred in Argentina, either through contact with infected rodents or during excursions. From there, the virus spread among passengers and crew during the voyage. The ship's doctor also became infected , possibly while treating the sick. In total, 13 cases were recorded, three of which were fatal.
The ship arrived in Cape Verde in early May, where the first PCR tests were carried out on high-risk contacts and three passengers with symptoms. From there, the cruise ship continued without any symptomatic passengers until Tenerife, where it anchored on May 11. The controlled disembarkation at the port of Granadilla de Abona allowed for the evacuation of 125 people, including passengers and some crew members, who were repatriated to their countries of origin.
The international response and Spain's role
Managing the outbreak required unprecedented coordination between the WHO, the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), the European Commission, and the countries involved. Spain was particularly praised by the WHO for its “incredible solidarity” in facilitating the disembarkation and safe repatriation of passengers and crew in Tenerife. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus publicly thanked Spain for its cooperation.
The 14 Spanish citizens who were traveling on the cruise ship were transferred to the Gómez Ulla Central Defense Hospital in Madrid, where they remained in quarantine. Two of them tested positive for hantavirus , but both were discharged after recovering. The Ministry of Health established a specific protocol with a 42-day quarantine, PCR tests upon arrival and again on day seven, and active monitoring with temperature checks twice a day.
France and the United States also confirmed cases among their repatriated citizens. A French passenger developed symptoms during the flight and tested positive, while in the U.S., one mild case and another with mild symptoms were reported. All evacuees were placed in isolation and are under epidemiological surveillance. In total, more than 650 contacts were identified and monitored in 33 countries and territories.
The WHO emphasized that the risk to the general population was low, as the Andes virus is not easily transmitted. However, health authorities stressed the importance of active surveillance in the weeks following the arrival of the virus, given that the incubation period can last up to six weeks.
The body of the German woman who died on board was cremated in the Netherlands, following safety protocols. Dutch authorities coordinated the process with the National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM) and the local security region.
Following disinfection, the MV Hondius received health clearance to resume operations on May 30. The shipping company announced a new Arctic expedition , this time with members of the head office on board to accompany the guests. The ship set sail from the Netherlands bound for Longyearbyen, in the Svalbard archipelago (Norway), where its new season began.
The hantavirus outbreak on the MV Hondius taught a lesson about the importance of preparedness and international coordination in health emergencies. Although the outbreak ended in late May with no new infections, the WHO has launched a study with 21 countries to better understand the disease and improve diagnostics, treatments, and vaccines. The crisis, which mobilized dozens of countries and tested alert systems, demonstrated that surveillance and cooperation are essential tools for containing unexpected outbreaks, even when the risk to the general population is low.
