Madrid, SPAIN – A cruise ship linked to a deadly hantavirus outbreak is heading toward Spain’s Canary Islands after three passengers were evacuated for urgent medical treatment, authorities and operators confirmed.
Two evacuees in serious condition have arrived in the Netherlands for treatment, while a third passenger in stable condition remained aboard a delayed evacuation flight, according to cruise operator Oceanwide Expeditions. The vessel, MV Hondius, had been anchored near Cape Verde for three days before resuming its journey toward the Canary Islands.
Okay News reports that at least three people connected to the voyage have died since the expedition departed from Argentina last month, while the World Health Organization has identified eight hantavirus cases, including three confirmed infections and five suspected cases linked to the ship.
Among the evacuated passengers are a British man identified by media reports as former police officer Martin Anstee, a Dutch crew member, and a German passenger linked to a woman who died aboard the vessel on May 2. Health officials are also monitoring passengers in the United States and Switzerland who had earlier disembarked from the ship.
Authorities in South Africa confirmed that tests detected the Andes strain of hantavirus, a rare form known to spread between humans in close-contact situations. Experts stressed that the virus is not easily transmitted like COVID-19 or influenza, with health officials saying the broader public risk remains low.
A total of 146 people from 23 countries remain aboard the ship under strict precautionary measures, while Spanish authorities prepare medical screenings upon arrival in Tenerife. Passengers cleared by health officials are expected to be repatriated to their home countries, while Spanish nationals may undergo quarantine in Madrid.
