The cruise ship MV Hondius docked at the Dutch port of Rotterdam on Monday for disinfection after a hantavirus outbreak that has drawn the attention of health authorities in Europe and beyond.
According to the Associated Press, the vessel arrived with 25 crew members and two medical personnel still on board after passengers disembarked in Tenerife last week.
The ship had previously been carrying around 150 passengers and crew from 23 countries when the outbreak was first reported to the World Health Organization on May 2.
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The cruise ship linked to a deadly #hantavirus outbreak has arrived at the Dutch port of Rotterdam for disinfection.
— All India Radio News (@airnewsalerts) May 18, 2026
The MV Hondius docked in Rotterdam this morning, carrying 25 crew members and two medical personnel, after all passengers had previously disembarked at another… pic.twitter.com/6PSULsYhMr
The dockside routine is now all quarantine and caution
Rotterdam public health director Yvonne van Duijnhoven said the crew had not shown symptoms so far and would enter quarantine, with testing on arrival and then weekly for the duration of isolation.
“Luckily so far the crew has suffered no symptoms,” she said, adding, “We have very strict protocols to prevent the virus from going from the ship towards the outside world.”
The authorities had set up quarantine containers near the dock for those who could not be repatriated immediately, while public health officials were seen boarding the vessel in hazardous materials suits.
Highlights from rapid risk assessment of #hantavirus cluster linked to MV Hondius:
— World Health Organization (WHO) (@WHO) May 17, 2026
🔸 The public health risk has been reassessed with the most current information available, and the global risk remains low.
🔸 The risk for passengers and crew who were onboard the cruise ship… pic.twitter.com/LUozwsXt70
Decontamination is expected to take about three days
Van Duijnhoven said the ship would be decontaminated under Dutch public health guidelines, a process expected to take about three days.
The Dutch company that owns the vessel said it did not foresee changes to its operations and was still planning an Arctic cruise from Keflavik, Iceland, on May 29.
This was the first known hantavirus outbreak on a cruise ship. The World Health Organization (WHO) had confirmed eight cases and two probable ones, while the total number of cases on board had reached at least 11, including three deaths.
The wider watch remains
The outbreak has also led to a wider monitoring effort, with some passengers and crew already quarantined in the Netherlands after earlier flights from the ship’s voyage.
The Dutch authorities have said the wider risk to the public remains low, but officials will inspect the vessel before it is allowed to sail again. The exposed passengers and crew remain under monitoring as the cleanup continues in Rotterdam.
