Filipino Crew from Hantavirus-Stricken MV Hondius Face 42-Day Quarantine in Netherlands

Twenty-four of the 38 Filipino crew members aboard the MV Hondius, a Netherlands-flagged expedition cruise ship affected by a hantavirus outbreak, are set to disembark in Spain and undergo a mandatory 42-day quarantine in the Netherlands. According to Philippine Department of Migrant Workers Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac, four crew members will disembark in the Canary Islands on May 10, with the remaining twenty following on May 11. These individuals, who held stewardship positions, will fly to the Netherlands for isolation. The remaining fourteen Filipino crew members, assigned to deck and engine duties, will sail the vessel to Rotterdam, where they will also face quarantine. Philippine health officials stated that further testing upon return to the Philippines is unnecessary once the quarantine period is completed. The outbreak, declared on May 4, resulted in three passenger deaths, two confirmed as hantavirus cases. The World Health Organization emphasized that the risk of a pandemic is low and distinct from COVID-19, urging the public not to panic. All symptomatic patients have already received medical assistance, and remaining personnel on board are asymptomatic.