EU Declares All Passengers on Hantavirus-Hit Ship High-Risk
The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) has classified all passengers aboard the cruise ship affected by a hantavirus outbreak as high-risk contacts. This precautionary measure comes as the vessel is expected to dock off Tenerife, a Spanish island, on Sunday.
The ship, named MV Hondius, has reported eight cases of hantavirus illness, including three fatalities—a Dutch couple and a German national, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Six of the cases have been confirmed while two remain suspected. The outbreak has prompted European health authorities to prepare for the repatriation and quarantine of all passengers.
Passengers who do not exhibit symptoms will be transported back to their respective home countries through specially arranged means, rather than using regular commercial flights. Upon arrival, these passengers will be advised to undergo self-isolation to prevent any potential spread of the virus.
The ECDC emphasized that while all passengers are treated as high-risk during disembarkation, their risk categorization might be reassessed once they return to their home countries. Priority medical evaluation and testing will be given to those who show symptoms. Such individuals may either be isolated in Tenerife or medically evacuated to their home countries depending on their health condition.
Hantavirus infections are typically transmitted to humans through contact with rodents, which are the usual carriers of the virus. Person-to-person transmission is known to be extremely rare. Despite the severity of the recent cases, health officials have stressed that the overall risk of wider virus transmission remains low.
Authorities across Europe continue to monitor the situation closely as they implement measures to contain the virus and ensure the safety of all potentially exposed individuals.