A Spanish passenger evacuated from the cruise ship at the center of a hantavirus outbreak has tested positive for the virus, Spain's health ministry announced Tuesday as the World Health Organization said it has now confirmed 11 cases, including three people from the cruise who died.
The passenger with the new confirmed case of hantavirus was in quarantine in a military hospital in Madrid, where 13 other Spanish nationals evacuated Sunday also are staying. All other Spanish passengers tested negative for the virus.
Evacuation Complete, Ship Returns to Netherlands
With the evacuation of all passengers and many crew members completed, the MV Hondius is now sailing back to the Netherlands, where it will be cleaned and disinfected.
| Evacuation Summary | Details |
|---|---|
| Passengers evacuated | 87 |
| Crew evacuated | 35 |
| Total evacuated | 122 |
| Evacuation location | Port of Granadilla, Tenerife |
| Ship destination | Rotterdam, Netherlands |
| Purpose | Cleaning and disinfection |
WHO: No Signs of Larger Outbreak
The director of the World Health Organization, who was in Madrid, said all 11 confirmed cases are among passengers or crew of the MV Hondius cruise ship, including three people who died. Nine of the 11 cases have been confirmed as the Andes virus.
"These numbers have changed little over the past week thanks to the governments of multiple countries and partners," Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the WHO director general, said.
"At the moment, there is no sign that we are seeing the start of a larger outbreak," he added, "but of course the situation could change, and given the long incubation period of the virus, it's possible we might see more cases in the coming weeks."
| Outbreak Statistics | Numbers |
|---|---|
| Total confirmed cases | 11 |
| Deaths | 3 |
| Cases confirmed as Andes virus | 9 |
| Incubation period | 1-8 weeks |
| Recommended quarantine | 42 days |
Dutch Hospital Staff Quarantined After Protocol Breach
In a concerning development, 12 staff members at a Dutch hospital where a hantavirus patient is being treated were told to quarantine after incorrectly handling bodily fluids.
Radboud University Medical Center in the eastern city of Nijmegen said in a statement that the "risk of infection is low" but was requiring the dozen employees to go into preventive quarantine as a "precaution."
The hospital received a passenger last week from one of the evacuation flights that landed in the Netherlands, and the person has since tested positive for hantavirus. Blood and urine from the patient should have been handled "according to a stricter procedure," the hospital said.
Learn about proper safety protocols in our guide on how hantavirus spreads.
French Patient in Intensive Care
In a Paris hospital, a French woman evacuated from the stricken ship remained in intensive care in stable condition. The French government was holding two new hantavirus emergency meetings Tuesday, the prime minister said.
Final Evacuation Flights Complete
A total of 87 passengers and 35 crew were escorted from the ship to shore in Tenerife by personnel in full-body protective gear and breathing masks in a carefully choreographed effort that ended Monday night. Remaining crew members then took on supplies and set course for Rotterdam.
Netherlands Arrivals
Two aircraft arrived in the southern Dutch city of Eindhoven overnight:
First Flight:- 19 crew members
- 3 medics
- Dutch nationals taken home to quarantine
- 17 Filipino crew members sent to quarantine facility
- 4 Australian passengers
- 1 New Zealand passenger
- 1 British national (Australia resident)
- All remain in quarantine near airport
The Dutch foreign ministry said the Australian-chartered passengers will continue their journey toward Australia "as soon as possible."
First Cruise Ship Hantavirus Outbreak
Health authorities say this is the first hantavirus outbreak on a cruise ship. While there is no cure or vaccine for hantavirus, the WHO says early detection and treatment improves survival rates.
For information on recognizing early symptoms of hantavirus and treatment options, see our detailed guides.
Key Facts About This Outbreak
| Factor | Information |
|---|---|
| Virus strain | Andes virus (9 of 11 confirmed) |
| Transmission | May spread person-to-person in rare cases |
| Symptoms onset | 1-8 weeks after exposure |
| WHO quarantine recommendation | 42 days |
| Vaccine available | No |
| Cure available | No |
| Early treatment | Improves survival rates |
Countries Monitoring Passengers
Multiple nations are now actively monitoring passengers who returned from the MV Hondius:
- Spain: 14 passengers in military hospital (1 positive, 13 negative)
- Netherlands: Multiple passengers in home quarantine + hospital staff quarantined
- France: 1 patient in ICU, emergency meetings ongoing
- Australia: 4 passengers in quarantine near Eindhoven airport
- New Zealand: 1 passenger in quarantine
- United Kingdom: Multiple passengers under monitoring
- United States: Passengers expected at Nebraska quarantine facility
Track the latest global statistics on our outbreak dashboard and interactive map.
What Comes Next
WHO chief Tedros has advised that returning passengers should stay in quarantine, either in their homes or in other facilities, for 42 days. He added that WHO cannot enforce its guidance, and that different countries may handle the monitoring of passengers without symptoms in different ways.
Given the long incubation period of hantavirus, health authorities warn that additional cases may emerge in the coming weeks as passengers complete their monitoring periods.
*Reporting by Mike Corder in The Hague. Associated Press writers Suman Naishadham in Madrid, Molly Quell in The Hague, Jamey Keaten in Geneva, and Angela Charlton in Paris contributed.*
