90-Second Read: Cruise ship hit by Hantavirus outbreak docks in Rotterdam

MV Hondius, the Dutch cruise ship hit by a deadly Hantavirus outbreak, has docked at its final destination in Rotterdam. The World Health Organization has so far reported 10 cases in total, eight confirmed and two suspected. While most Hantaviruses do not pass from person to person, rare instances of human transmission have been documented with the Andes virus strain, which is the strain behind this outbreak.

The ship's crew are expected to self-isolate after arriving at the Dutch port, their final destination. Only the ship's crew were aboard for the last leg of the journey, as all passengers docked off the ship in the Canary Islands between 10 and 11 May. Director of GGD Rotterdam-Rijnmond, Yvonnes van Duijnhoven, said the ship's doctor and nurse had collected samples aboard.

These will be tested on the ship's arrival and further tests will be carried out on Monday afternoon to check if the crew have Hantavirus. De Vries said the port received a request to dock the cruise 10 days ago and, after contacting the regional health service, agreed the Dutch-flagged ship would be welcome. Three people, a Dutch couple and a German woman, died after travelling on the ship, with two of them confirmed to have had the virus.