Deadly Hantavirus Outbreak Triggers Global Evacuation From Luxury Cruise Ship

A deadly hantavirus outbreak aboard the luxury expedition cruise ship MV Hondius has triggered a major international evacuation in Spain's Canary Islands. Hantavirus is primarily spread through contact with infected rodents or their excreta. After the initial six cases, three more infections have now been confirmed. The ship had nearly 150 passengers and crew from 23 countries. On Sunday, 94 passengers from 19 nationalities were evacuated and flown home, with the rest due for repatriation on Monday. According to the Indian embassy in Spain, the two Indian crew members aboard the ship have been evacuated to the Netherlands and are healthy and asymptomatic. Most countries are enforcing a strict 42-day quarantine for returning passengers, following WHO and European guidelines for the Hantavirus strain. The luxury cruise ship, operated by Oceanwide Expeditions, began its journey on April 1 from Argentina’s Ushuaia.