A cruise ship that triggered a global health emergency due to a severe hantavirus outbreak has been given permission to resume its voyage after undergoing a thorough cleaning process.
Following the spread of the rat-borne virus on the MV Hondius, resulting in three fatalities and 10 infections, concerns arose about potential human-to-human transmission worldwide. Over 170 passengers and crew, including 30 British nationals, were evacuated from the ship.
Authorities in Rotterdam, where the ship had docked, confirmed that the MV Hondius had undergone complete disinfection and stated that there were no longer any hindrances to its return to sea. The vessel underwent four essential inspections and a deep cleaning operation by workers in protective hazmat suits during its stay in the Netherlands.
Upon reaching the Port of Rotterdam on May 18, a decontamination program was initiated for the ship. A meticulous cleaning regimen, spanning several days, required crew members to wear personal protective equipment (PPE) to ensure thorough sanitization, with measures in place to prevent the need for quarantine post-cleaning.
The 25 crew members and two medical professionals who remained on board from the Canary Islands to the Netherlands were immediately placed in quarantine upon arrival to monitor the virus’s 42-day incubation period. Stringent rodent inspection protocols were also enforced to verify the absence of the virus sources onboard.
A final inspection conducted by infection control experts and the public health agency in Rotterdam on May 29 confirmed that the MV Hondius was free of contamination, validating the success of the decontamination process.
Following statements from the World Health Organization’s Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus indicating containment of the virus, Oceanwide Expeditions, the operator of the MV Hondius, plans to recommence operations by June 13 for its upcoming Arctic journey, including stops in Svalbard, Norway.