The World Health Organization (WHO) said Sunday, May 17, it was maintaining its assessment of the hantavirus outbreak as “low risk” as the cruise ship where the outbreak originated approached the Netherlands.
“The public health risk has been reassessed with the most current information available, and the global risk remains low. The risk for passengers and crew who were onboard the cruise ship remains moderate, as individuals exposed prior to the implementation of control measures may still develop illness during the incubation period and should therefore be closely monitored. While additional cases may still occur among passengers and crew members exposed before containment measures were implemented, the risk of onward transmission is expected to be reduced following disembarkation and the implementation of control measures,” WHO said in a statement on X.
The MV Hondius is expected to dock in the Dutch port of Rotterdam between 10:00 a.m. (0800 GMT) and midday on Monday, AFP reported, citing officials, before disembarking the 27 remaining people on board: 25 crew members and two medical staff. The ship, operated by Oceanwide Expeditions, made headlines after three passengers died from hantavirus.
After arriving in the Canary Islands on May 10, more than 120 passengers and crew members were evacuated from the ship. WHO reported last week that hantavirus had been confirmed in eight patients. Another patient in Canada has provisionally tested positive but is not exhibiting symptoms, and the test remains to be confirmed.
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