Cruise Ship in Rotterdam Disinfected After Hantavirus Outbreak

On May 18, 2026, the cruise ship MV Hondius reached the Dutch port of Rotterdam to undergo disinfection following a hantavirus outbreak. This incident alarmed international health authorities. The ship carried 25 crew members and two medical staff upon arrival. All passengers had disembarked at an earlier location. Oceanwide Expeditions, the ship’s operator, reported that no one onboard showed symptoms.

Authorities observed crew members wearing masks as a tugboat and Dutch police boat escorted the ship. Nearby, 25 white containers had been set up for crew quarantine. Those unable to return home will remain in quarantine with satellite internet and catering, according to René de Vries, the harbor master.

The ship needed assistance. Crew members were potentially affected. In such cases, denying access to Europe’s largest port seemed unacceptable, said de Vries.

Previously, the port provided refuge to ships with misfortunes in the North Sea. However, this marks the first docking of a vessel arriving from Antarctica for this reason. De Vries added that local health experts and the Erasmus Medical Center would collaborate to safely disinfect the ship. The Hondius will be cleaned at the jetty.

The outbreak resulted in three deaths, including a Dutch couple initially exposed in South America. The MV Hondius had recently sailed from the Canary Islands. Passengers had disembarked there, escorted in protective gear, and departed on flights to quarantine in over 20 countries. Officials confirmed at least 11 cases, with nine verified.

The Public Health Agency of Canada reported a positive case among four Canadians previously onboard, sharing updates with the World Health Organization. Some crew members, unable to travel home, will enter quarantine in the Netherlands, as announced by the health ministry. Two dozen passengers and crew are already quarantined there after arriving in recent weeks on various flights. Additionally, 18 Americans are monitored in medical facilities in the U.S. equipped for infectious diseases.

The World Health Organization clarified that this outbreak differs from COVID, with hantavirus considered rare. The virus’s incubation period spans several weeks, so future cases are possible among those from the ship. Disembarked passengers’ quarters and the vessel will be disinfected following Dutch health protocols.

After cleaning, no quarantine is necessary for the cleaning staff, assured the health ministry in a communiqué to the Dutch parliament.

Public health officials will inspect the ship before it resumes operations. The owning company stated no operational changes are planned. An upcoming Arctic cruise is scheduled to leave from Keflavik, Iceland, on May 29.

The Pasteur Institute in France announced it sequenced the virus found in a French passenger. This version matched strains already known in South America, showing no new transmissible traits.