Australians from hantavirus cruise ship to fly out of Netherlands in full PPE after plane and crew secured

Six passengers, including four Australian citizens, who were aboard the hantavirus-affected MV Hondius cruise ship are set to return to Perth, Western Australia, on Friday. They arrived in the Netherlands via an evacuation flight from Tenerife and will depart on a second flight Thursday evening, traveling in full Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). All six passengers have tested negative for hantavirus and are asymptomatic. Upon arrival in Perth, they will undergo a mandatory three-week quarantine at a dedicated facility. The flight crew will also be subject to quarantine requirements. The outbreak has resulted in 11 reported cases, with three deaths.

The operator of the hantavirus-stricken cruise ship MV Hondius, Oceanwide Expeditions, is awaiting further information to decide on the vessel's future cruises. The ship, which experienced an outbreak resulting in three passenger deaths and eleven reported cases, had its passengers disembarked in the Canary Islands. Initially, the company stated no changes to its summer schedule were foreseen, including a departure on May 29. However, by the end of the week, Oceanwide Expeditions expects clarity on whether the MV Hondius will sail and its revised schedule. The ship is en route to Rotterdam with 25 crew members, two health workers, and one deceased passenger still aboard, none of whom are symptomatic.

Ushuaia, Argentina, a port city known as the "end of the world" and a departure point for Antarctic expeditions, is facing suspicions as the origin of a hantavirus outbreak. The cruise ship MV Hondius departed Ushuaia on April 1st. Five days later, a Dutch passenger, who had previously traveled through South America, developed symptoms of hantavirus, a disease transmitted by rodents. This outbreak resulted in the deaths of three cruise ship passengers, leading to the city grappling with these suspicions.

Australian and New Zealand passengers from the hantavirus-affected cruise ship MV Hondius have been evacuated to the Netherlands as part of a complex repatriation mission. The group, including six passengers and flight crew, landed in Eindhoven on Tuesday morning. They will undergo initial quarantine in the Netherlands before a charter flight transports them to Australia. Upon arrival in Australia, they will commence a mandatory 42-day quarantine period, with the first three weeks at the Centre for National Resilience near Perth. This operation is deemed "difficult" due to the risk of hantavirus transmission, highlighted by a French national's critical condition in hospital.

The last passengers and crew from the cruise ship MV Hondius, which experienced a hantavirus outbreak, have been evacuated and repatriated. The final two planes landed in the Netherlands carrying 28 individuals, including passengers from Australia, New Zealand, and a British resident. This evacuation concludes a complex operation that saw 94 people repatriated to approximately 20 countries for quarantine. A US passenger evacuated from the ship has tested positive for hantavirus in Nebraska and is being monitored along with other Americans. The Andes virus strain, capable of limited person-to-person transmission, has been identified as the cause of the outbreak, which has resulted in three deaths. US officials state the risk to the public remains low.

Spain has reported a new case of hantavirus in a passenger evacuated from the cruise ship MV Hondius, bringing the total to 11 confirmed and suspected cases. Three deaths have been linked to the outbreak, including a Dutch couple believed to have been initially exposed in South America. The latest confirmed case is a Spanish passenger in quarantine at a military hospital in Madrid. The World Health Organization stated that cases are currently confined to the ship's passengers and crew, with no indication of a wider outbreak, though they acknowledge the potential for more cases due to the virus's incubation period. The MV Hondius is returning to the Netherlands for cleaning and disinfection.

Passengers are being evacuated from the cruise ship MV Hondius in Tenerife following a hantavirus outbreak that has resulted in three deaths and eight illnesses. Spanish passengers were the first to disembark on Sunday morning, screened by medical teams in hazmat suits before being transported to the airport for flights to their home countries. The ship, carrying 146 people, arrived in the early hours of Sunday. Passengers and crew, confined to their cabins to prevent further spread, are being screened for the virus. Flights are scheduled for passengers from the UK, Netherlands, Germany, Belgium, Greece, Canada, Turkey, France, Ireland, the US, and Australia, with isolation periods of 42 days required. The evacuation is being coordinated to minimize contact with the local population.

One of five French nationals evacuated from the hantavirus-affected cruise ship MV Hondius has displayed symptoms of the illness, according to French Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu. The five passengers were flown back to France on Sunday and immediately placed in strict isolation for medical treatment and testing. The ship had been anchored off Tenerife, where passengers were being evacuated and sent to hospitals in their home countries or the Netherlands for checks. The Prime Minister stated that a decree would be issued to authorize isolation measures to protect the public. The evacuated French passengers arrived at Le Bourget airport near Paris on Sunday afternoon.

A cruise ship, the MV Hondius, carrying over 140 passengers and crew, has arrived at Tenerife in Spain's Canary Islands. While no one on board currently shows symptoms, five passengers who previously disembarked have tested positive for hantavirus, and three individuals have died. The ship will remain at anchor, with disembarking individuals being screened for symptoms and evacuated via flights once ready. Authorities emphasize that those leaving the ship will have no contact with the local population. The outbreak involves the Andes virus, which can, in rare cases, spread between people.

Spanish authorities are preparing to isolate and evacuate 140 passengers and crew from the MV Hondius cruise ship, which is en route to the Canary Islands due to a hantavirus outbreak. The vessel is expected to arrive in Tenerife early Sunday morning. At least eight individuals have fallen ill, with three reported deaths and five known infected passengers who previously disembarked. The World Health Organization (WHO) considers the risk to the public low, emphasizing that hantavirus is not easily transmitted between people, though a specific strain on this ship may have rare human-to-human transmission capabilities. Health officials are tracking passengers who left the ship before the outbreak was detected on May 2.

UK health authorities are preparing to isolate approximately 24 British passengers and crew from a virus-affected cruise ship, the MV Hondius. These individuals, along with two from Ireland, will be transferred to Arrowe Park Hospital, a facility previously used for Covid-19 patients, upon their arrival in the UK. The ship is expected to anchor off Spain's Canary Islands on Sunday, and the majority of its nearly 150 passengers will be repatriated to their home countries. Currently, none of the individuals being brought to the UK are exhibiting symptoms of hantavirus. Upon arrival, they will undergo clinical assessment and testing as per the advice of the UK Health Security Agency.

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus reassured Tenerife residents about the arrival of the virus-hit cruise ship MV Hondius, emphasizing that the current hantavirus risk is low and distinct from COVID-19. A WHO expert and physicians are aboard assessing passengers, with no new symptoms reported. The ship, expected to dock Sunday, will disembark passengers for repatriation flights to various countries, with strict protocols in place to prevent local transmission. While the decision to receive the ship faced local opposition, Ghebreyesus praised Spain's solidarity and humanitarian response, highlighting Tenerife's capacity to manage the situation safely. Passengers will wear masks and undergo controlled disembarkation procedures.

US authorities are organizing a repatriation and quarantine effort for American passengers aboard the MV Hondius cruise ship, which is experiencing a hantavirus outbreak. The CDC is sending personnel to the Canary Islands to meet the ship, and American passengers are expected to be flown back to the US on a chartered flight. They will then undergo quarantine in Nebraska, home to specialized federal quarantine and biocontainment units. The State Department confirmed its involvement in the repatriation alongside the CDC and other agencies. Separately, two New Jersey residents are being monitored for potential exposure after contact with an individual who had recently disembarked the Hondius, though the risk to the public is considered very low.

Spain will repatriate passengers from the MV Hondius cruise ship after it docks in the Canary Islands on Sunday. The vessel is experiencing a hantavirus outbreak. Upon arrival at the port of Granadilla on Tenerife, flights will be arranged to transport guests back to their home countries. This action is being taken by the Spanish government to address the health situation on board. The repatriation process is expected to begin on the same day the ship reaches port.

A third British national is suspected of having hantavirus in connection with an outbreak on the cruise ship MV Hondius. This individual is currently on the remote island of Tristan da Cunha. Two other British men have confirmed cases, with one in stable condition in the Netherlands and the other in intensive care in South Africa. A total of five hantavirus cases have been confirmed, including one fatality among the ship's passengers. The MV Hondius is expected to dock in the Canary Islands, where a chartered plane will repatriate remaining British passengers and crew to the UK. Upon return, those without symptoms will be asked to isolate.

British passengers returning from the hantavirus-affected cruise ship MV Hondius will be required to self-isolate in the UK for 45 days. This measure follows an outbreak linked to a birdwatching expedition in Argentina, with three deaths and eight suspected cases, three confirmed, reported on the ship. Two Britons who previously left the vessel are isolating at home without symptoms, while a crew member was medically evacuated. The UK Health Security Agency is arranging repatriation for remaining asymptomatic Britons and is monitoring for any onward transmission. The risk to the general public is considered very low.

Argentina is investigating a potential link to a deadly hantavirus outbreak on an Atlantic cruise ship. Health officials will capture and test rodents in Ushuaia, a region visited by a Dutch couple who died from the virus, to determine if it's the source. Three people, including the Dutch couple and a German national, have died from the outbreak, with eight suspected cases reported. The cruise ship, which had been off the coast of Cape Verde, has departed for Spain after three individuals were evacuated. The World Health Organization states the wider public risk is low, as hantavirus transmission requires very close contact.

Authorities are seriously investigating a hantavirus outbreak on a cruise ship that departed from Argentina a month ago, resulting in three passenger deaths and four medical evacuations. The Andes strain of hantavirus, responsible for this outbreak, is not highly contagious and human-to-human spread is rare, with the World Health Organization emphasizing the low global risk to the general public. While the exact source is unclear, hantavirus typically spreads from rodents, and close contact on the ship may have facilitated some human-to-human transmission. Eight cases, including confirmed and suspected, have been identified among passengers, with efforts underway to trace potentially exposed individuals who have traveled to various countries.

Crew members from the MV Hondius cruise ship are being medically evacuated to the Netherlands following a suspected hantavirus outbreak, which is believed to have caused at least three passenger deaths. The ship, carrying nearly 150 people, has been granted permission by Spanish authorities to dock in the Canary Islands. Upon arrival, health officials from Spain, the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, and the World Health Organization will examine and treat those onboard before repatriation. Hantavirus is a rare disease typically spread by infected rodents. Separately, the US has paused "Project Freedom," a plan to escort vessels through the Strait of Hormuz, for a short period to allow for diplomatic efforts to resolve the conflict with Iran.

A Dutch cruise ship, the MV Hondius, is en route to the Canary Islands following a hantavirus outbreak that has resulted in three passenger deaths. Two crew members, including a British doctor, and a third individual linked to a deceased German national are being evacuated by hospital aircraft to the Canary Islands for urgent medical care. Officials are assessing which passengers require immediate evacuation from Cape Verde, where the ship is currently docked. The remaining 149 passengers from 23 countries, including 22 other British nationals, will continue to the Canary Islands, expected to arrive in three to four days. The exact port of arrival is undecided, but the operator plans for Gran Canaria or Tenerife.

Spain has agreed to allow the MV Hondius cruise ship, experiencing a hantavirus outbreak, to dock in the Canary Islands. The decision comes after Cape Verde, the ship's initial destination, was unable to receive the 147 passengers and crew due to the outbreak. Three individuals, a Dutch couple and a German national, have died from the virus since April, and two crew members require urgent medical attention. Spain's Ministry of Health stated it has a moral and legal obligation to assist, especially as some citizens are on board. The ship will sail to the Canary Islands, where those needing medical care will be evacuated, and the remaining individuals will be examined, treated, and repatriated.

A British crew member is among two individuals to be urgently medically evacuated from the cruise ship MV Hondius due to suspected hantavirus cases. The Dutch authorities are overseeing the evacuation of the ill crew members, who are experiencing respiratory symptoms. The ship will head to the Canary Islands, Spain, for examination and treatment of all passengers and crew, as Cape Verde lacks the necessary medical capabilities. Seven suspected cases of hantavirus have been reported among the 147 passengers and crew, with two confirmed and three fatalities. A British passenger, initially in intensive care in South Africa, is reportedly improving. The UK government is arranging onward travel for its citizens affected by the outbreak.

A hantavirus outbreak linked to the Dutch-flagged cruise ship MV Hondius has resulted in seven identified cases, including three deaths, according to the World Health Organization. The ship, carrying 147 passengers and crew from 23 countries, is currently quarantined off Cabo Verde. Among the confirmed cases are a British passenger in intensive care and a Dutch passenger who died after disembarking, who had also tested positive. The outbreak's origin is believed to be connected to the voyage, with investigations ongoing to understand the transmission. The ship's passengers and crew are being monitored as the situation develops.

Two cases of hantavirus have been confirmed, with five more suspected, among individuals aboard the cruise ship MV Hondius, currently stranded near Cape Verde. The World Health Organization (WHO) reported that out of the seven cases, three people have died, one is critically ill, and three have mild symptoms. The deceased include a Dutch couple and a German national. The ship, carrying mostly British, American, and Spanish passengers, departed from Argentina in March. The WHO stated the risk to the wider public is low, as hantavirus rarely spreads between humans. Efforts are underway to trace contacts of one of the deceased Dutch women who traveled by flight from Saint Helena to Johannesburg. The ship operator is working on disembarking passengers, with potential destinations including Las Palmas or Tenerife.

Cape Verde has refused docking to the cruise ship MV Hondius due to a suspected hantavirus outbreak. Three passengers have died, and at least two others are sick, including a British tourist in intensive care in South Africa where a variant of hantavirus was identified. The cruise operator, Oceanwide Expeditions, stated that the connection between the deaths and the virus is still under investigation. The ship, carrying 149 people of 23 nationalities, was anchored off the coast of Praia. Global health officials are actively investigating the situation.

Three individuals have died and others are ill following a suspected hantavirus outbreak on the MV Hondius cruise ship. The ship was sailing from Ushuaia, Argentina, to Cape Verde, where it is currently anchored. While three deaths are linked to the suspected outbreak, only one passenger, a British national, has been confirmed to have hantavirus. The World Health Organization (WHO) stated that the risk to the general public remains low and is coordinating with countries for the evacuation of affected passengers. Investigations are ongoing to confirm the cause of illness and deaths.

A suspected hantavirus outbreak on the cruise ship MV Hondius has resulted in three deaths and several illnesses among passengers and crew. One case has been laboratory confirmed, with five additional suspected cases pending. The ship is currently stationary off the coast of Cape Verde. Three passengers have died, and one is in intensive care in South Africa. The World Health Organization is coordinating with governments and the ship's operator to arrange medical evacuations for two symptomatic passengers while investigating the outbreak and assessing public health risks. Authorities in Cape Verde have not yet authorized broader medical disembarkation.

Three passengers have died on the Atlantic cruise ship MV Hondius following a suspected hantavirus outbreak. The World Health Organization confirmed one case of the rodent-transmitted virus and stated that at least five other passengers were suspected of infection. Of the six affected individuals, three have died, and one is in intensive care in South Africa. The ship was sailing from Ushuaia, Argentina, to Cape Verde. Investigations are ongoing, including further testing and epidemiological studies, with the WHO coordinating efforts to evacuate symptomatic passengers. Hantavirus is a rare but potentially fatal disease transmitted through rodent droppings or urine.

Three passengers have died following a suspected hantavirus outbreak on the MV Hondius cruise ship, which was traveling between Argentina and Cape Verde. The World Health Organization confirmed one case of hantavirus infection and five suspected cases, with three fatalities and one individual in intensive care in South Africa. Among the deceased were a Dutch couple, and the person in intensive care is a British national. Hantavirus, typically spread through rodent contact, can cause severe respiratory illness. The ship's operator, Oceanwide Expeditions, has not commented. Authorities are coordinating medical evacuations and considering isolation for other sick passengers.

Three individuals have died on the Atlantic cruise ship MV Hondius following a suspected hantavirus outbreak. The World Health Organization confirmed one laboratory-confirmed case of hantavirus, with five additional suspected cases among passengers traveling from Ushuaia, Argentina, to Cabo Verde. Of the six affected individuals, three have died, and one remains in intensive care in South Africa. South African health officials reported the outbreak of a severe acute respiratory illness, with one patient testing positive for hantavirus. The virus is typically transmitted to humans from rodents.