Hantavirus update: MV Hondius docks in Rotterdam as Canada confirms additional case
The arrival of the MV Hondius in the Netherlands marks a new phase in the ongoing hantavirus incident
The MV Hondius expedition cruise ship has docked in Rotterdam as health authorities confirmed an additional hantavirus infection linked to the outbreak.
Canada’s Public Health Agency confirmed that one of four Canadians repatriated from the vessel tested positive for hantavirus following laboratory analysis.
The passenger had initially been classified as a presumptive positive while isolating on Vancouver Island.
The confirmed case is linked to the ongoing outbreak associated with the Dutch-operated expedition cruise ship, which departed Argentina in April.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has identified 11 cases connected to the incident so far, including eight confirmed infections, alongside three deaths.
The vessel arrived in the Netherlands after passengers were previously evacuated in Tenerife under enhanced infection control procedures and repatriated across multiple countries.
Oceanwide Expeditions said no symptomatic individuals were currently aboard the ship during its transit to Rotterdam.
Health authorities believe the outbreak is linked to the Andes strain of hantavirus, a rare rodent-borne virus associated with South America and the only hantavirus strain with documented potential for human-to-human transmission through prolonged close contact.
The incident continues to highlight the operational complexity of managing infectious disease events involving cruise travel, remote itineraries, and internationally dispersed passengers.
The response has required coordination between cruise operators, public health authorities, laboratories, aviation partners, assistance companies, and government agencies across several jurisdictions.
The situation is also likely to intensify scrutiny around outbreak preparedness, quarantine planning and passenger tracing capabilities within the expedition cruise sector.
Authorities continue to stress that the overall public health risk remains low and that hantavirus is not considered to have pandemic potential.