The health of five Ukrainian crew members aboard the MV Hondius cruise ship is currently stable, with no signs of illness reported, according to the Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) on May 7.
The vessel is en route to the Canary Islands, Spain, with an expected arrival on May 9. Upon docking, all passengers and crew will undergo medical examinations.
“The health of the five Ukrainian crew members is satisfactory, and no symptoms of illness have been detected,” stated a ministry representative.
The Ukrainian embassy in the Netherlands is maintaining ongoing communication with the ship’s operating company. Earlier, five individuals exhibiting symptoms of hantavirus were evacuated from the ship. Two of these cases have been confirmed as hantavirus infections, and those affected are currently receiving treatment in Johannesburg, South Africa, and Zurich, Switzerland. The remaining three individuals suspected of infection have been transported to the Netherlands and Germany for further evaluation.
This situation is being closely monitored by the Department of Consular Services of the MFA, along with the Ukrainian embassy in the Netherlands and the consulate in Málaga.
Hantaviruses are a group of viruses that can lead to severe health issues in humans, including respiratory, cardiac, and renal complications. Rodents are known carriers of this infection. The World Health Organization (WHO) has indicated that certain strains of the virus can have a mortality rate as high as 50%.
Transmission typically occurs through contact with the urine, saliva, or feces of infected rodents. The virus can also enter the body through inhalation of contaminated dust in poorly ventilated spaces.
Details on the Incident Aboard the Ship
The MV Hondius embarked from Ushuaia, Argentina, on March 20 and concluded its journey in Cape Verde on May 4. According to the MFA, five Ukrainians are currently on board. The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control is conducting a thorough assessment of the ship to identify any passengers who may require urgent evacuation.
“Some passengers share cabins, leading to close contact, which raises concerns,” noted WHO representative Maria van Kerkhove.
She added that there is a possibility the initial infected individual contracted the virus before boarding the ship.
On May 6, Spain’s Ministry of Health announced that the country would accept the ship in the Canaries. However, the president of the Canary Islands, Fernando Clavijo, expressed opposition to the MV Hondius docking at the archipelago.
As of May 6, reports indicated three deceased passengers and seven confirmed cases of infection, two of which have been laboratory-confirmed (involving citizens from Switzerland and the United Kingdom), while five additional cases are considered probable.
Preliminary investigations suggest that the source of the infection may have been a Dutch couple who contracted the virus in South America before embarking on their journey, during which the virus potentially spread to other passengers. Both individuals later succumbed to the illness.
The health of five Ukrainian crew members on the MV Hondius is stable, while two confirmed hantavirus cases are being treated in South Africa and Switzerland. The situation is under close scrutiny as the ship heads to the Canary Islands for further medical evaluations.