Three people with suspected hantavirus have been medically evacuated from the cruise ship MV Hondius, including a British expedition guide named Martin Anstee, 56. Anstee told Sky News he was feeling OK but remained in isolation at a hospital, with no clear timeline for his release. He was removed alongside a 41-year-old Dutch doctor and a 65-year-old German passenger, according to the Telegraph.
The Dutch-flagged ship, carrying nearly 150 people, is now heading to the Canary Islands after Spanish authorities granted permission to dock. However, the regional president of Tenerife has expressed concern over the vessel arriving. The World Health Organization confirmed eight cases of hantavirus, five of which were confirmed. A Dutch couple and a German national who were on board have died.
The evacuation was coordinated with the WHO, ship operator Oceanwide Expeditions, and national authorities from Cape Verde, the UK, Spain, and the Netherlands. An aircraft carrying two evacuees landed in the Netherlands on Wednesday evening, while a third flight was delayed. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus stated that the overall public health risk remains low.
UK Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper said the Foreign Office was working to support British nationals on board. The UK Health Security Agency advised two people who returned to the UK independently from the ship to self-isolate, though neither is reporting symptoms. The agency added that once the ship docks, remaining British nationals without symptoms could be sent home.
Swiss authorities reported a former passenger who tested positive is being treated in Zurich, with no risk to the public. Hantavirus is typically spread through contact with infected rodents, with human-to-human transmission rare. The WHO continues to monitor the health of passengers and crew.
