Hantavirus on Cruise Ship: Spain Agrees to Docking in Canaries as WHO Suspects Human Transmission

Spain has agreed to permit the cruise ship MV Hondius, currently at the center of a hantavirus scare, to dock in the Canary Islands, the World Health Organization (WHO) announced Tuesday. The vessel has been held offshore Cape Verde in the Atlantic, with its 149 passengers and crew facing an uncertain wait. Jake Rosmarin, a passenger documenting the voyage on social media, expressed the group's anxiety on Instagram, stating, "there is a lot of uncertainty and that is the hardest part. All we want now is to feel safe, have clear answers and go home."

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there is a lot of uncertainty and that is the hardest part. All we want now is to feel safe, have clear answers and go home.

Despite the developing situation, Hans Kluge, WHO Europe director, urged against panic, noting that hantavirus infections are rare and typically linked to exposure to infected rodents, not easily transmitted between people. The WHO confirmed two cases and five suspected cases aboard the ship. The organization is also working to locate passengers from a flight that transported a Dutch tourist, who died of hantavirus in a Johannesburg hospital after being evacuated from St. Helena island. The 69-year-old woman, whose husband also died on the ship, had disembarked on April 24 with gastrointestinal symptoms before flying to Johannesburg the next day.

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there is no reason to panic or impose travel restrictions

Maria Van Kerkhove, acting director of the WHO's epidemic and pandemic prevention and preparedness department, informed the press in Geneva that the current plan is for the ship to proceed to the Canary Islands. Spanish authorities have agreed to welcome the vessel for a comprehensive investigation and risk assessment for those on board. Van Kerkhove reiterated that the risk to the general public is minimal, emphasizing that hantavirus does not spread like influenza or COVID-19. The WHO's involvement underscores the international cooperation required to manage such health concerns, ensuring that necessary medical evaluations and containment measures are implemented effectively while minimizing public alarm.

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It is not a virus that spreads like the flu or COVID-19. It is very different.