The MV Hondius has arrived at the port of Rotterdam, where Dutch authorities are preparing quarantine arrangements for those still on board following a deadly hantavirus outbreak. The Dutch-flagged cruise ship, operated by Oceanwide Expeditions, had been carrying around 150 passengers and crew from 23 countries when a cluster of severe respiratory illness was first reported to the World Health Organization on 2 May.
The vessel reached Rotterdam on Monday with 23 crew members and two medical personnel still on board. Three people, a Dutch couple and a German national, have died since the outbreak was identified. The ship had earlier been held off Cape Verde, its planned final destination, after local authorities refused to allow those on board to disembark because of the health risk.
Following requests from the WHO and the European Union, Spain coordinated the evacuation of passengers and crew in the Canary Islands. The vessel then continued to Rotterdam with a reduced crew and medical staff. Port authorities in Rotterdam have said quarantine facilities have been set up for some non-Dutch crew members, although it remains unclear whether they will stay there for the full 42-day quarantine period recommended for high-risk contacts. The ship is also due to undergo disinfection.
Hantavirus is mainly transmitted by rodents, but the Andes strain can, in rare cases, spread between people after prolonged close contact. Its incubation period can last up to about six weeks. Crew members, passengers and close contacts who have already left the ship have been placed in quarantine or monitoring arrangements in several countries.
The outbreak involves the Andes strain of hantavirus, which has circulated for decades in Argentina and Chile. According to the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, sequencing has not indicated any significant mutation that would suggest the virus has become more transmissible or more severe.
The WHO said on Friday that the number of recorded cases had been revised down to 10 from 11 after an initially uncertain case in the United States tested negative. As of 15 May, it had recorded eight confirmed and two probable cases, including the three deaths. The WHO recommends that high-risk contacts be monitored and quarantined for 42 days after exposure, while low-risk contacts are advised to self-monitor and seek medical care if symptoms develop.
Source: CNA
