The World Health Organization (WHO) has reassured the public that the risk posed by the ongoing hantavirus outbreak linked to the cruise ship MV Hondius remains low, even as countries move to repatriate passengers stranded aboard the vessel.
The development follows growing international concern after three passengers on board the Dutch-flagged ship died from the rare viral disease. The fatalities involved a Dutch husband and wife, as well as a German woman. Health officials also confirmed that several other passengers had fallen ill, prompting intensified monitoring and contact tracing across multiple countries.
The MV Hondius, which has about 150 people on board, is expected to arrive in Tenerife in Spain’s Canary Islands on Sunday. Authorities have indicated that special flights will be arranged to return passengers to their home countries once the vessel arrives.
According to the WHO, the outbreak involves the Andes virus strain of hantavirus — the only known hantavirus species capable of limited human-to-human transmission. The confirmation of the strain had initially raised concerns among international health authorities because most hantavirus infections are typically spread through contact with infected rodents rather than between people.
Speaking on Friday, WHO spokesperson Christian Lindmeier stressed that the risk to the wider public remains minimal.
He explained that while hantavirus can be dangerous for those who are infected, current evidence from the cruise ship does not suggest easy or widespread person-to-person transmission.
According to Lindmeier, health officials monitoring the situation have observed that in several cases, individuals who shared cabins with infected passengers did not all contract the virus. He said this emerging pattern suggests that the virus does not spread easily from one person to another.
The WHO had earlier confirmed five positive cases and three suspected infections linked to the outbreak. However, officials said there are currently no new suspected cases aboard the ship, while an updated assessment was expected later.
KLM flight attendant tests negative
A major development in the ongoing investigations came after a flight attendant working for Dutch airline KLM, who had contact with one of the infected passengers and later developed mild symptoms, tested negative for hantavirus.
The WHO described the test result as encouraging.
Lindmeier said the negative result provides further evidence that casual or limited exposure to an infected person does not necessarily lead to infection.
He noted that the current pattern of transmission is very different from what was seen during the COVID-19 pandemic, stressing that hantavirus is not spreading at anywhere near that level.
The passenger linked to the KLM incident was the wife of the first person to die in the outbreak. She had briefly boarded a flight from Johannesburg to the Netherlands on April 25 but was removed before take-off after concerns about her health condition. She later died in a Johannesburg hospital.
Contact tracing across multiple countries
Cruise operator Oceanwide Expeditions said 30 passengers, including the first fatality, disembarked on the remote British island of Saint Helena on April 24.
A flight departed Saint Helena for Johannesburg the following day, triggering a broad international contact-tracing operation involving passengers, crew members and onward travel connections to other destinations around the world.
The WHO said health authorities in several countries have remained engaged in tracing contacts and assessing possible exposure risks, while monitoring for symptoms among affected travellers.
Passengers remain calm aboard MV Hondius
The MV Hondius, which is also known for polar expeditions, departed Ushuaia in southern Argentina on April 1 for a trans-Atlantic cruise to Cape Verde.
During the voyage, three suspected cases — including two crew members who later tested positive — were evacuated from Cape Verde to the Netherlands for treatment.
Kasem Ibn Hattuta, a YouTuber travelling on the ship, said passengers were reassured after doctors joined the vessel before it resumed its journey towards Tenerife.
He said the departure from Cape Verde brought relief to many people on board, particularly because sick passengers had begun receiving medical attention.
According to him, passengers have remained calm despite the situation. He noted that people are maintaining high spirits, wearing face masks indoors and observing physical distancing measures while awaiting arrival in Spain.
Repatriation plans underway
The ship has now cleared the Mauritanian coast and is heading toward the Canary Islands.
Spanish authorities said the first group of passengers will begin returning to their home countries on Sunday after the vessel reaches Tenerife.
However, officials have stated that the ship will not be permitted to dock directly at the port. Instead, it will remain anchored offshore while health and logistical arrangements are completed before passengers are transferred for onward travel.
Global health authorities continue monitoring
The WHO said it will continue to closely monitor developments surrounding the outbreak.
Public health experts have maintained that although the situation requires vigilance, the evidence so far suggests that the risk to the general population remains very low.
Health officials also stressed that contact tracing, surveillance and clear public communication remain essential to preventing unnecessary panic while ensuring that any new developments are quickly identified and managed.
