Spanish government confirms new case of hantavirus linked to cruise ship
The Spanish government said Monday that it has confirmed a new case of hantavirus connected to the MV Hondius cruise ship that made headlines when three individuals died after contracting hantavirus during their voyage earlier this month.
Spain’s Ministry of Health said that a new positive case of hantavirus has been confirmed in one of the individuals remaining in preventive quarantine at Gómez Ulla Hospital.
“It corresponds to a close contact identified within the epidemiological follow-up activated after the initial detection of the outbreak,” the Health Ministry added.
The Health Ministry said that the affected person had been under clinical surveillance and isolation since their admission, in accordance with the protocols established by the Early Warning and Rapid Response System.
“The positive case has been detected during the periodic diagnostic checks carried out on the contacts under follow-up,” the Health Ministry wrote in a follow-up statement.
Following the diagnostic confirmation, the patient has been transferred to the high-level isolation unit in Gómez Ulla Hospital, where he will remain admitted under specialized medical supervision and with the biosafety measures provided for this type of case, according to the Health Ministry.
“Health authorities emphasize that the detection of the case has occurred within the already activated isolation and control system, so it does not alter the risk situation for the general population nor change the epidemiological response measures currently in place,” the Health Ministry added.
The patient is one of the 14 Spanish nationals who were aboard the MV Hondius and who has been in quarantine in Madrid at the Gómez Ulla Central Defense Hospital since May 10.
The patient is the second Spaniard aboard the MV Hondius to test positive for hantavirus.
On May 12, Spain’s health ministry announced that a Spanish passenger evacuated from the cruise ship at the centre of the hantavirus outbreak had tested positive for the virus.
“The patient who yesterday tested provisionally positive has been confirmed as positive for hantavirus. As for the rest of the people who remained under study at Gómez Ulla Hospital, the definitive tests have confirmed a total of 13 negative results,” Spain’s Health Ministry confirmed in a post on X at the time.
The Health Ministry said the patient had a “low-grade fever and mild respiratory symptoms, although he/she is currently stable and without any evident clinical deterioration.”
The passenger with the first confirmed case of hantavirus was quarantined at a military hospital in Madrid, where the 13 other Spanish nationals evacuated who had tested negative for the virus, are also staying.
On Friday, Spain’s Ministry of Health updated its hantavirus protocol.
“Contacts who have not presented symptoms and maintain negative PCR results during the first 28 days of hospital quarantine may continue monitoring at their residences until completing the established 42 days,” the Health Ministry announced in a post on X.
Tedros Abhanom Ghebreyesus, the director-general of the WHO, said he had received a message on Saturday from MV Hondius Captain Jan Dobrogowski, who had finally left the cruise ship.
“He remains without hantavirus symptoms until today. So far, 12 cases in total have been reported to @WHO, and three deaths. No deaths have been reported since May 2,” Ghebreyesus wrote on Saturday.
“All the passengers and crew are now in quarantine with close monitoring to receive care if need be. I’m deeply grateful for Jan’s cooperation and leadership as he navigated the ship through an extraordinary and scary journey. Thank you, dear Jan, for steering your passengers towards safety,” Ghebreyesus added.
In an update shared on Tuesday, Oceanwide Expeditions, the Dutch company that operates the MV Hondius cruise ship, said that the vessel’s planned departure from the port of Rotterdam to Vlissingen has been delayed “following advice from GGD Rotterdam for additional cleaning procedures.
“The remaining crew members from the original voyage were escorted to quarantine facilities on Saturday evening. Captain Jan Dobrogowski was transported to Poland via specialized transport. Where appropriate, Dutch crew members have returned to their homes for home quarantine as per established protocols,” the company said.
“GGD Rotterdam, in cooperation with Oceanwide Expeditions, wants to ensure that the vessel is ready to be safely returned to service. Based on their inspection findings, GGD has advised additional cleaning. Following completion of this work, GGD will conduct a final inspection before the vessel can depart from Rotterdam,” the company added.
Oceanwide Expeditions said that at this stage, all voyages from June 13 onwards will proceed as scheduled and that no further disruption to MV Hondius’ sailing schedule is expected.
The news of the delayed departure comes a week after Oceanwide Expeditions said that indications “strongly suggest” the virus was introduced prior to embarkation and “did not originate from the vessel itself.”
In a statement last week, Oceanwide Expeditions CEO Remi Bouysset said that the indications are based on “the medical and epidemiological information currently available, including guidance from WHO experts and relevant health authorities.”
“Investigations remain ongoing regarding the exact location where the virus may have been contracted. At this stage, there is no indication that the source of infection was linked to the vessel’s condition or to Oceanwide Expeditions’ onboard operations,” Bouysset said.
Bouysset added that Oceanwide Expeditions will ensure that MV Hondius returns to the field “fully prepared and with the highest possible standards of safety and operational readiness, with the continuation of our Arctic season currently planned for 13 June.”
Oceanwide Expeditions’ focus now is on “supporting those affected, allowing teams to recover, completing the remaining procedures responsibly, and preparing for the next phase.”
Hantavirus is mainly spread by contact with rodents or their urine, saliva or droppings, particularly when the material is disturbed and becomes airborne, posing a risk of inhalation, according to the Canadian government. But the hantavirus that has caused the current outbreak, called the Andes virus, may be able to spread between people in rare cases.
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