MV Hondius cruise ship passengers evacuated to home countries as hantavirus outbreak continues; five confirmed infected, three deceased

The MV Hondius cruise ship, anchored off Tenerife in Spain's Canary Islands, is undergoing a coordinated international evacuation following a confirmed Andes virus (ANDV) outbreak. As of the evacuation date, five passengers were confirmed infected and three had died. The remaining 140+ passengers and crew members—representing over 20 nationalities—showed no symptoms at the time of evacuation but are being repatriated under strict biosafety protocols. Passengers are being flown to their home countries with coordinated quarantine and monitoring plans: Spanish nationals quarantine domestically, France requires 72-hour hospitalization plus 45 days home quarantine, and Americans are directed to a Nebraska medical facility. The WHO emphasizes the outbreak poses low public risk and recommends daily health monitoring. The ship will proceed to Rotterdam for disinfection. Meanwhile, a suspected case was identified in a Tristan da Cunha resident—a former Hondius passenger—prompting British military medical personnel deployment to the remote South Atlantic territory.