Final evacuees from MV Hondius arrive in Netherlands as US passenger tests positive for Andes virus
The last two flights carrying 28 passengers and crew from the hantavirus-stricken vessel have landed, with officials confirming a new positive case among American evacuees while the WHO maintains public risk remains low.
The final evacuation flights from the MV Hondius have landed in the Netherlands, concluding a complex repatriation operation for 28 passengers and crew members. The aircraft, which departed from the Canary Islands, carried six passengers and 19 crew members, including four Australians, one New Zealander, and a British resident of Australia. Upon arrival, these individuals are expected to remain in a quarantine facility near the Eindhoven airbase before being repatriated to their home nations.
This arrival marks the end of an operation that has seen 94 people evacuated to approximately 20 countries over the past month. The vessel, operated by Oceanwide Expeditions, departed from southern Argentina on April 1 for a transatlantic cruise. The outbreak, caused by the Andes virus strain, has resulted in three deaths during the voyage: a Dutch couple and a German national. The body of the German passenger remains on board as the ship sails from Tenerife to Rotterdam for disinfection.
Complicating the conclusion of the voyage, one of the 18 American evacuees has tested positive for the Andes virus strain. According to the US Department of Health and Human Services, the infected individual is currently being monitored in a biochemical unit in Nebraska, alongside 15 others at the University of Nebraska Medical Center. Two additional American evacuees, a couple, are receiving care at Emory University Hospital in Atlanta.
The World Health Organization has assessed the risk to the general public as low, noting that the Andes virus generally requires prolonged close contact to spread. Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus stated that the risk is not comparable to previous pandemics and recommended a 42-day quarantine for all affected individuals. As of Monday, the WHO reported seven confirmed cases and two suspected cases, though it remains unclear if the newly identified US passenger is included in these figures.
Political figures in the United States have addressed the situation, with Secretary of Health Robert F Kennedy Jr expressing confidence in the administration's response, citing the deployment of a CDC team to Tenerife and readiness of aircraft. President Donald Trump also commented on the handling of the outbreak, describing the administration's performance as fine.
Captain Jan Dobrogowski released a statement acknowledging the gravity of the circumstances, highlighting the unity and quiet strength of the group. The vessel is now proceeding to Rotterdam with 25 crew members and two medical staff still on board, while the remaining passengers await their return home following the mandated isolation period.
