The cruise ship Hondius, where an outbreak of the dangerous Andesvirus — a variant of hantavirus — occurred, has arrived at the port of Rotterdam. The vessel has been sent for sanitary treatment, and crew members have been accommodated in a quarantine zone.
The cruise ship Hondius, where an outbreak of hantavirus occurred, has returned to the Netherlands. The vessel docked at the port of Rotterdam, where it is expected to undergo extensive disinfection and quarantine measures, reports NOS.
The liner docked in Rotterdam as this port is designated as the quarantine port of the Netherlands — a place where cases of infectious diseases on ships must be processed. The arrival of the vessel attracted the attention of the international press: AP and Reuters agencies provided live coverage of the docking.
Transfer cabins at the port of Rotterdam at the docking location of the cruise ship m/v Hondius.
On a closed area of the port, at Calandsteiger 7, 23 white modular houses equipped with a TV, Wi-Fi, bathroom, washing machine, and refrigerator have been prepared for the accommodation of foreign crew members. If necessary, they will remain in quarantine until June 18, if they cannot be repatriated.
These are crew members from the Philippines (17 people), Ukraine (4), Russia (1), and Poland (1). They are required to adhere to strict rules but can move freely within the quarantine area.
Two crew members are citizens of the Netherlands and will undergo quarantine at home. The final stage of the vessel's transition was accompanied by a Dutch doctor and nurse.
Upon arrival, the crew will be tested again. So far, no one on board has reported symptoms of illness. The body of a female passenger from Germany, who died last week on board the liner, is still on the ship.
After the crew disembarks, a complete sanitary treatment of the liner will begin. The work will be carried out by the Dutch company EWS Group, which specializes in pest control and disinfection.
According to Mark Schimmel, the owner of Maritime Disinfection Services, cleaning such a "floating hotel" may take about a week.
"First, all bedding is removed. Then all surfaces are cleaned — from cabins and the restaurant to the kitchen and recreational areas. Everything is manually disinfected with hydrogen peroxide or chlorine-based agents," he explained.
The greatest danger, according to him, comes from bar counters, reception desks, and buffets, where there may be a high number of contacts with saliva. After manual treatment, the premises are additionally processed with an aerosol containing hydrogen peroxide.
Some furniture and equipment may be disposed of. "Everything is wrapped in plastic and destroyed," noted Schimmel.
A representative of Oceanwide Expeditions, the company that owns the vessel, has not yet been able to specify the date of the next departure of Hondius to sea. According to him, this will depend on the results of the sanitary treatment.
Three People Died
The Dutch cruise ship MV Hondius was carrying about 150 passengers and crew members from nearly 30 countries when an outbreak of Andesvirus — a dangerous variant of hantavirus — occurred on board in late April.
As a result of the outbreak, three people died: a married couple from the Netherlands and a woman from Germany.
A large-scale evacuation of passengers was carried out a week ago in the Canary Islands. After that, the ship, with a minimal crew and two medics, headed back to the Netherlands.
Before disembarking, passengers were screened and tested for hantavirus, after which they were sent to quarantine. In the Netherlands, they are advised to observe home isolation for six weeks, as the incubation period of the virus can be very long.
Eleven Cases of Infection
According to the latest data from the World Health Organization, as of May 13, there were 11 registered cases of infection: eight confirmed, one unconfirmed, and two probable, including three fatalities.
Andesvirus primarily spreads through contact with the droppings of mice and rats. Transmission of the virus from person to person is only possible with prolonged close contact. As noted by the Dutch RIVM institute, this virus is significantly less contagious than the coronavirus.
Dutch authorities continue to monitor the situation surrounding the hantavirus outbreak on board Hondius. Despite the limited contagiousness of the virus, the incident has once again highlighted how vulnerable cruise ships can be to infectious diseases and how important strict quarantine measures are in international maritime communication.
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