Hantavirus-Affected Cruise Ship Arrives in Tenerife for Passenger Repatriation

The MV Hondius, a Dutch cruise ship associated with a hantavirus outbreak that has led to three fatalities, arrived at the Port of Granadilla in Tenerife, Spain, on May 10, 2026. The vessel, carrying 147 passengers of 23 nationalities, is the focus of a coordinated international repatriation effort.

Medical teams boarded the ship upon arrival to conduct health assessments of passengers and crew. Spain's Health Minister, Mónica García, stated that the disembarkation process would be managed by nationality, with passengers being transferred to their home countries via repatriation flights. "The sequence of disembarkation will be coordinated with arriving repatriation flights," García noted.

The United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) confirmed that 17 American passengers, none exhibiting symptoms, will be transported to the University of Nebraska Medical Center for monitoring. Similarly, other nations, including Germany, France, Belgium, Ireland, and the Netherlands, have arranged for the evacuation of their citizens.

The outbreak, identified as the Andes strain of hantavirus, was first reported to the World Health Organization (WHO) on May 2. The WHO has emphasized that the risk to the general public remains low, as human-to-human transmission of this virus is rare.

The MV Hondius had previously attempted to dock in Cape Verde but was denied entry due to public health concerns. The decision to allow the ship to anchor in Tenerife has sparked tensions between Spain's central government and the Canary Islands' regional authorities. Canary Islands President Fernando Clavijo expressed opposition to the docking, citing a lack of consultation and potential risks to the local population.

Following the disembarkation of passengers, the ship is scheduled to proceed to Rotterdam, Netherlands, where the crew will disembark, and the vessel will undergo thorough disinfection procedures.