Hantavirus-hit cruise operator says ship was not source of outbreak – nationwide
A crew member on the ship affected by the hantavirus said the indications are “highly suggestive” that the virus was introduced before it started and “didn't come from the ship itself.”
The MV Hondius, owned by the Dutch company Oceanwide Expeditions, made headlines when three people died after contracting hantavirus on their cruise earlier this month.
Hantavirus is mainly spread by contact with rodents or their urine, saliva or droppings, especially if the material is disturbed and airy, which poses an inhalation risk, according to the Canadian government. But the hantavirus that caused the current outbreak, called the Andes virus, may be able to spread between people in rare cases.
In a statement on Tuesday, Oceanwide Expeditions CEO Remi Bouysset said the guidelines are based on “currently available medical and epidemiological information, including guidance from WHO experts and relevant health authorities.”
“Investigations are still ongoing regarding the place where the virus was introduced. At the moment, there is no indication that the source of the virus is connected to the condition of the ship or the activities of Oceanwide Expeditions,” said Bouysset.
MV Hondius maintains “rigorous pest control and biosecurity procedures on our ships, including routine inspections and monitoring,” according to the CEO.
He said pest control and biosecurity procedures were implemented on the trip, which began on April 1, and there was no evidence of rodents or insects throughout.
“What initially appeared to be an isolated medical situation turned into a very serious and complex event, which requires the rapid creation of an international coalition and the full use of crisis management procedures,” added Bouysset.
The response of the cruise ship operator came from three phases of operations, including “emergency medical stabilization and evacuation operations in Cape Verde,” “controlled disembarkation, inspection, isolation, and change operation in the Canary Islands” and “transportation of the ship to Rotterdam, cleaning of the ships, change of personnel, retraining, retraining, retraining.”
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The ship arrived safely in Rotterdam on Monday and the remaining crew members were disembarked under effective supervision and procedures. The repatriation of the deceased who remained on the boat will be done “with great care and respect,” said Bouysset.
“The ship will now undergo a complete cleaning and sanitization process, as well as the full implementation of additional processes, procedures, and a complete change of personnel before returning to work. We want to take the time necessary to complete all steps correctly and responsibly,” he said.
Bouysset added that Oceanwide Expeditions will ensure that the MV Hondius returns to the field “fully prepared with the highest levels of safety and performance, for the continuation of our Arctic season scheduled for June 13.”
Oceanwide Expeditions said it had been impacted in recent weeks “as much as any company facing an extraordinary situation.”
“However, we remain strong, focused, and financially strong. Since our founding in 1993, we have navigated challenging times before, always by staying close to our values: critical operations, small cruises, experienced people, and long-term thinking,” the company added.
Bouysset said the company will continue to review the hantavirus situation carefully with relevant experts and authorities and “take lessons from it seriously.”
“We work in some of the most remote regions in the world. That goes hand in hand with our responsibility towards our guests, our employees, our partners, and the places we explore. Situations like this remind us of the importance of preparation, teamwork, experience, and making calm decisions under pressure,” he added.
The Oceanwide Expedition is focused on “supporting those affected, allowing the teams to recover, complete the remaining procedures responsibly, and prepare for the next phase.”
Argentinians are hunting for the source of the hantavirus outbreak
Argentinian investigators looking for the source of the deadly hantavirus outbreak were trapping rats in the forests surrounding the southern city of Ushuaia on Tuesday, with the aim of determining the possible presence of the rat-borne virus in the area that was thought to be affected.
The scientists, wearing blue gloves and surgical masks, looked at the 150 box traps they had set up the night before, tossed the dead mice into black plastic bags and loaded them into trucks headed to a makeshift lab where they said they would extract blood samples.
Tuesday's rat trap marks the start of a wide-ranging Argentine investigation into the source of the infection that swept the MV Hondius, killing three people, sickening several others and launching a search for passengers and their relatives.
Argentinian scientists collect traps placed in various locations in Ushuaia, Argentina, May 19, 2026, as part of an investigation into the source of the hantavirus outbreak on board the MV Hondius.
AP Photo/Lujan Agusti
The government-backed Malbrán Institute, Argentina's leading infectious disease research center, said the team would repeat the process over the next three days before returning samples to the institute's main laboratory in Buenos Aires to test for hantavirus. Testing can take up to one month.
“They were able to capture what was expected,” said Martín Alfaro, spokesperson for the Department of Health in Tierra del Fuego.
The effort comes nearly two weeks after Argentina's Ministry of Health first announced it would send a team from the Malbrán Institute to Ushuaia.
“It is important to note that although it is not confirmed that this transmission has occurred in Argentina and that Tierra del Fuego has not reported any cases of hantavirus since the mandatory reporting of the event began in 1996, these actions are part of a strengthened strategy of epidemiological surveillance carried out in collaboration with the authorities,” who are responsible for monitoring and strengthening their cases. The Ministry of Health said at the time.
-From files from the Associated Press
