The Hantavirus outbreak does not appear to have started on a Dutch ship, the CEO said
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The head of Oceanwide Expeditions says the information gathered so far about the deadly cluster of hantavirus cases “strongly” suggests that the outbreak that hit his company's ship did not come from the ship itself.
In a statement published on Tuesday, the CEO of Oceanwide Expeditions Rémi Bouysset gave an update on the company's efforts to manage the crisis caused by the hantavirus infections aboard the MV Hondius that have so far killed three people and left others in critical condition.
Although he acknowledged the “human tragedy” that had occurred, Bouysset said it did not appear to have been caused by the ship's conditions.
“The indications strongly suggest that the virus was introduced before boarding and not from the ship itself,” Bouysset said in a statement.
“This is based on current medical and epidemiological information, including guidance from WHO experts and relevant health authorities. Investigations are still ongoing regarding the location where the virus may have been found.”
Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, director-general of the World Health Organization, said on Tuesday there had been 11 reported cases of hantavirus linked to the ship's outbreak, including three deaths.
“Those numbers have changed little since the WHO outbreak,” Ghebreyesus said, according to a published transcript of his remarks at the World Health Assembly in Geneva.
WHO test “the risk of hantavirus worldwide continues to be low,” he said.
A cruise ship at the center of a deadly hantavirus outbreak has reached the Netherlands and the crew are now in quarantine. The ship's operator says it will now be disinfected and is likely to return to service next month.
The MV Hondius docked in the Dutch port of Rotterdam on Monday. Oceanwide Expeditions revealed Monday that no one who left the ship showed symptoms of illness.
Ghebreyesus said that the workers who have gone down now will be kept in isolation until June 29.
The ship's remaining passengers – including some Canadians – had disembarked on the Spanish island of Tenerife earlier this month.
Complete cleaning, sanitation is in progress
Bouysset he said the company has worked in three steps since the crisis began, and the last step is still ongoing.
“The ship will now undergo a complete cleaning and sanitation process, as well as the full implementation of additional processes, procedures, and a complete change of crew before returning to work.,” he said in a statement.
“We want to take the time necessary to complete all steps properly and responsibly.”
Oceanwide Expeditions is based in the Netherlands. The MV Hondius is one of the few ships in its fleet, according to its website.
