British passengers aboard the MV Hondius, which has been hit by a deadly hantavirus outbreak, will be asked to self-isolate for 45 days upon returning to the UK, a health official has indicated. Two Britons who left the ship before the outbreak was detected are already self-isolating at home and are not reporting symptoms, according to the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA).
The outbreak has so far resulted in three deaths and eight suspected cases, three of which have been confirmed as hantavirus by laboratory testing. The virus was likely contracted during a birdwatching expedition in Argentina before the passengers boarded the ship.
A British crew member, Martin Anstee, was medically evacuated to the Netherlands for specialist care. He reported feeling “OK” and said he was awaiting further tests. The Foreign Office is arranging a charter flight for remaining Britons not showing symptoms once the ship docks in Tenerife.
Professor Robin May, chief scientific officer at the UKHSA, stated that the two early returnees had agreed to self-isolate and that the same 45-day period would apply to other British nationals onboard. He emphasised that the risk to the general public remains very low.
Spain’s health minister confirmed that no passengers currently onboard are symptomatic, and the 14 Spanish nationals will be quarantined in a Madrid hospital. Argentina, where the cruise departed, is investigating whether the outbreak originated there, as the country has reported 101 hantavirus cases since June 2025.
