[55405] Hantavirus outbreak aboard the cruise ship MV Hondius leads to international evacuation operation

Hantavirus outbreak aboard the MV Hondius

A complex international evacuation operation is currently underway regarding the cruise ship MV Hondius, which has anchored near Tenerife following reports of a hantavirus outbreak on board. According to reports by AP News as cited in Реальна Війна, passengers began exhibiting symptoms during evacuation flights home, which led to increased precautionary measures. It is reported that three people have died since the start of the outbreak.

The Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed that five of the country's citizens who were on board are being treated accordingly. As reported by Суспільне Новини, four of them remained on the ship as part of the crew to guide it to the Netherlands for complete disinfection, while one citizen was evacuated by flight and will undergo medical quarantine.

The international response includes the imposition of lockdowns in various countries. RMF24, as cited in Україна Online, reports the first case of an individual quarantine in Poland for a person who came into contact with a passenger from the ship. In France and the United States, passengers diagnosed as carriers were hospitalized, some under strict isolation conditions, according to 24 Канал.

Experts emphasize the concern regarding the lack of a proven medical response. The New York Times, cited via Цензор.НЕТ, reports that vaccine development for the virus has suffered for years from a "lack of funding." At the same time, health authorities, including the Public Health Center of Ukraine (Новини.LIVE), remind that while hantavirus is usually transmitted by rodents, the rare Andes strain is capable of being transmitted between humans through close and prolonged contact.