90-Second Read: Hantavirus cruise ship passed to resume sailing after deep clean

A couple from the Dutch province of Friesland died of Hantavirus after they boarded the ship in Argentina on April 1 for a South Atlantic cruise. A total of 13 people connected with the cruise have either tested positive or are suspected of having contracted the Andes variant of Hantavirus, which is mainly transmitted by rodents but can be passed from person to person in close-contact situations. The local health authority (GGD) gave the ship a clean bill of health on Saturday, allowing it to travel to Longyearbyen, on the Arctic island of Svalbard, later this week after undergoing routine maintenance. The MV Hondius was kept in the port for additional cleaning after the last of its crew members disembarked last week.

Several other passengers fell ill during the voyage or shortly after disembarking from the ship, including a German woman who died on board. Most of the passengers have been repatriated to their home countries, where they have been told to quarantine at home or in hospital for six weeks. The vessel's eight decks had to be cleaned by biosecurity experts wearing PPE gear over the course of four days, using hydrogen peroxide and high-temperature steam cleaning.

They are believed to have contracted the infection while travelling overland in South America. The ship was also declared rodent-free by pest control experts. Your donations allow us to report on issues you tell us matter, and provide you with a summary of the most important Dutch news each day.