90-Second Read: Dutch expedition ship Hondius resumes cruises after fatal Hantavirus outbreak

The Dutch expedition vessel m/v Hondius is set to resume voyages this weekend after weeks out of service caused by a fatal virus outbreak onboard, AD reports. In April, a rare and dangerous outbreak of Hantavirus, specifically the Andes virus variant, occurred aboard the Hondius while it was sailing from Argentina to the Canary Islands. The outbreak resulted in three fatalities among those on board, including two Dutch citizens.

Operator Oceanwide Expeditions says the ship has undergone extensive cleaning and disinfection and has now been cleared as fully safe to return to operation. The new voyage departs from Longyearbyen on Spitsbergen, Norway, with 137 passengers set to join a seven-day expedition around the Svalbard archipelago near the Arctic. As the Hondius is registered under the Dutch flag, the Port of Rotterdam was designated as its official emergency and quarantine harbour in May.

The vessel spent three weeks there while specialist crews carried out a comprehensive cleaning and disinfection programme in collaboration with the Dutch National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM). The Hondius departed Dutch waters on 6 June and set course for the Arctic. As an additional safety measure, a doctor will be present on board throughout the trip.