Passengers from the MV Hondius are being repatriated after one American tests positive for hantavirus and a French traveler shows symptoms during flight home
Category: Health
TENERIFE, Canary Islands (AP) — Passengers evacuated from the hantavirus-hit cruise ship MV Hondius began flying home aboard military and government planes on May 10, 2026, after the vessel anchored in the Canary Islands. The evacuation comes as health officials reported that one American passenger tested positive for the hantavirus, though he is not exhibiting any symptoms, and one of five French passengers developed symptoms during their flight home.
As seen in a trending post on r/worldnews, the aircraft carrying the evacuated Americans was scheduled to arrive in Omaha, Nebraska, early Monday. Upon arrival, the Americans will be taken to the University of Nebraska Medical Center, which has a federally funded quarantine facility, to assess their risk levels for spreading the virus.
According to U.S. health officials, three people have died since the outbreak began, and five people who left the ship earlier are infected with hantavirus. The situation has prompted health authorities to act swiftly, with WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus reassuring the public that the risk remains low. “This is not another COVID. And the risk to the public is low. So they shouldn’t be scared, and they shouldn’t panic,” he stated.
The MV Hondius, which had been carrying nearly 150 people from more than 15 countries, docked at the port of Granadilla in Tenerife. Before disembarking, personnel in full-body protective gear and breathing masks escorted the passengers from the ship to shore. Spanish nationals were evacuated first, followed by French and British passengers, all of whom were taken to various locations for monitoring and quarantine.
Officials from the Spanish Health Ministry, the World Health Organization, and the cruise company Oceanwide Expeditions had previously reported that none of the more than 140 people aboard the Hondius showed symptoms of the virus. This statement came before the recent developments involving the American and French passengers.
During the evacuation, passengers were allowed to take only a small bag with essentials, such as a cellphone and documentation, leaving behind their luggage. The ship's remaining crew and the body of a deceased passenger will remain on board as the vessel sails to Rotterdam, Netherlands, for disinfection.
Health officials have indicated that the hantavirus primarily spreads through contact with rodent droppings, urine, or saliva, and is not easily transmitted between people. Nevertheless, the Andes virus detected in this outbreak may have the potential for rare human-to-human transmission. Symptoms typically appear between one and eight weeks after exposure.
The evacuation effort is extensive, with plans to repatriate passengers from over 20 countries. Japan’s Foreign Ministry reported that a Japanese national arrived in Britain on a chartered flight and will undergo health monitoring for up to 45 days. Meanwhile, the acting director of the Centers for Disease Control, Dr. Jay Bhattacharya, noted that the Americans would be monitored closely upon their return.
“One passenger will be transported to the Nebraska Biocontainment Unit upon arrival, and other passengers will go to the National Quarantine Unit for assessment and monitoring,” said Kayla Thomas, a spokesperson for the Nebraska Medical Center. The facility is equipped to handle highly infectious diseases, previously utilized for COVID-19 and Ebola patients.
Countries are implementing their own quarantine protocols. For example, British authorities announced that passengers would be hospitalized for observation for 72 hours, followed by six weeks of self-isolation. French officials have also planned similar measures, keeping the five symptomatic passengers in strict isolation until they receive test results.
In the Netherlands, a Dutch evacuation flight landed in Eindhoven, carrying passengers who will be under health monitoring for six weeks. Local health services are arranging quarantine locations for others who were evacuated.
The WHO has recommended that passengers’ home countries implement active monitoring and follow-up, which includes daily health checks, either at home or in specialized facilities. Maria van Kerkhove, the organization’s top epidemiologist, emphasized the importance of these measures.
As the situation develops, health officials continue to monitor the outbreak closely, assessing the risk to the public and ensuring that appropriate measures are in place to protect both passengers and local populations. Authorities have also expressed their commitment to conducting thorough investigations into the outbreak's source, which remains under scrutiny.
In light of these events, health officials are urging caution but also emphasizing the importance of not inducing panic. Tedros reiterated, “We have been repeating the same answer many times. This is not another COVID. And the risk to the public is low.”
As of now, the evacuation of passengers from the MV Hondius is expected to continue into Monday, with additional flights arranged to facilitate the safe return of all affected individuals.
In the meantime, the global health community remains vigilant, prepared to respond to any changes in the situation as more information becomes available.
This article is grounded in a discussion trending on Reddit. Claims from the original post and comments may not reflect independently verified reporting.