Hantavirus Outbreak on MV Hondius: Three Dead, Ship Docks in Tenerife Amid Regional Opposition
Where things stand
Updated May 6, 10:15 AMThree people have died aboard the Dutch cruise ship MV Hondius off the coast of Cape Verde, with five additional suspected hantavirus cases identified on board. The Canary Islands regional government opposes the vessel’s plan to dock, citing safety concerns, while the ship is expected to depart on a three-day voyage to the Spanish archipelago. Two Britons are among those affected: one is in intensive care in South Africa, and a crew member—believed to be the ship’s doctor—has been airlifted to the Netherlands for treatment.
Open questions
- Has the MV Hondius departed Cape Verde for the Canary Islands?
- Will the Canary Islands regional government successfully block the ship from docking?
- What is the total number of confirmed hantavirus cases linked to the outbreak?
- What is the health status of the remaining passengers, including the 19 British nationals?
- Has the cause of death for the German passenger been confirmed?
Key actors
What's corroborated
The Canary Islands regional government opposes the MV Hondius cruise ship docking due to a hantavirus outbreak.
2 sourcesacross 1 articleThe ship will leave for a three-day trip to the Canary Islands.
2 sourcesTwo Brits are among the cases: one in intensive care in South Africa and a crew member (believed to be the ship's doctor) who was airlifted to the Netherlands.
2 sourcesFive other suspected cases of hantavirus have been identified on the ship.
2 sourcesThree people have died aboard the Dutch ship MV Hondius, which is anchored off the coast of Cape Verde.
2 sources
Timeline4
Passengers confined to cabins, reading and watching movies, as suspected hantavirus infections rise.
Three dead, five suspected hantavirus cases on MV Hondius; Andes strain confirmed. Ship anchored off Cape Verde.
Three people, including a British crew member, evacuated from MV Hondius off Cape Verde; ship stranded.