An elderly Dutch passenger, believed to be the first individual infected in the onboard outbreak, tragically died on April 11th. The passenger developed symptoms prior to their death, which occurred before testing could be completed. This incident marked the first fatality on board the MV Hondius during this period.
The article, previously headlined “French woman was told by doctors hantavirus symptoms were just anxiety,” was removed on 12 May 2026 following a notification to The Guardian regarding a fundamental misunderstanding of remarks by Javier Padilla Bernáldez. The Spanish health secretary’s comments were, in fact, pertaining to a distinct case involving an individual whose hantavirus diagnosis was unconfirmed. This clarification is crucial, as the secretary was not referring to the French woman who had tested positive for the virus.
While most hantavirus strains are not transmissible between humans, the Andes strain, identified in individuals from a Dutch cruise ship, presents a human-to-human transmission risk. Passengers transported to Nebraska are reportedly in good health and spirits, with the one positive Andes virus case currently asymptomatic and isolated. Further testing and symptom monitoring are underway for these individuals, who will remain at a Nebraska facility for several days to determine ongoing quarantine needs.
Twelve employees at Radboudumc hospital in Nijmegen have been placed in a six-week precautionary quarantine following potential exposure to hantavirus. This measure was initiated after a patient, who later tested positive for the virus, had their blood and urine processed without adherence to the strictest safety protocols. The patient was among those evacuated from a cruise ship where an outbreak had resulted in three deaths. Radboudumc stated that while the risk of infection is low, an investigation will be conducted to prevent future occurrences.
Tragic news has emerged regarding the MV Hondius cruise ship, with three passengers confirmed deceased, two of whom tested positive for the Andes strain of hantavirus. This strain is believed to have been contracted in South America, with human transmission a possibility. While six individuals, including Britons and Australians, remain on board in the Canary Islands, many passengers are being repatriated, with four Canadians already having returned home and placed under self-isolation. Despite the fatalities, officials deem the risk of a wider outbreak to be very low.
As the cruise ship MV Hondius faced a deadly hantavirus outbreak, passengers began flying home from the Canary Islands, escorted by personnel in protective gear. A French woman and an American have tested positive for the virus, with one American passenger showing no symptoms and another experiencing mild ones. While three deaths have been reported, health authorities emphasize the low risk to the general public, as hantavirus is rarely transmitted between people. Nations are actively quarantining or isolating repatriated passengers for monitoring and follow-up.
The news about a US citizen testing “mildly positive” for hantavirus and another experiencing mild symptoms, both repatriated from a cruise ship, has certainly sparked a lot of conversation, and understandably so. The phrase “mildly positive” itself feels a bit like a riddle, doesn’t it? It’s the kind of wording that makes you pause and wonder if there’s a medical exam question lurking in the background. One patient has a confirmed, albeit mild, positive test result for the Andes strain of hantavirus, while the other is presenting with similar symptoms but hasn’t had their positive status confirmed yet.
The immediate reaction for many is to question the very nature of a “mildly positive” test.… Continue reading
The news that passengers from a cruise ship, where Hantavirus has been detected, will be disembarking in Tenerife and returning to their home countries has naturally stirred a significant amount of discussion and, it seems, some strong opinions. It’s understandable that any mention of a potentially dangerous virus, especially in the context of widespread travel, would raise concerns, echoing anxieties from more recent global health events.
The core of the matter revolves around the perceived threat of Hantavirus compared to other diseases, like COVID-19. While acknowledging that Hantavirus doesn’t possess the same inherent capacity for mass human-to-human transmission as COVID-19, a crucial detail often highlighted is its significantly higher fatality rate, which can be as high as 40% for certain strains.… Continue reading
Despite official assurances, the arrival of a cruise ship with a multinational passenger list has evoked unwelcome comparisons to the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic for many Canary Islanders. These residents recall the initial outbreak, which began with a German tourist on La Gomera and led to the quarantine of approximately 1,000 individuals at a Tenerife hotel. The situation serves as a potent reminder of the widespread impact the virus once had on the region.
Despite understandable public concern regarding hantavirus, Canada’s Chief Public Health Officer, Dr. Joss Reimer, emphasizes that the virus does not spread as readily as COVID-19. The risk of a hantavirus pandemic is considered “very low,” and further widespread transmission in Canada is “not expected.” Therefore, while acknowledging public anxieties, Dr. Reimer reassures that the overall risk posed by hantavirus is minimal.
John Q. Hosedrinker 
Matt Underwood