The European Commission has intensified its coordination with EU member states in response to a hantavirus outbreak aboard the MV Hondius, a Dutch-operated luxury cruise ship currently sailing toward Spain. Despite the outbreak, which has resulted in eight confirmed cases and three deaths, Brussels insists that the risk to the general European population remains low.
On Wednesday, the Health Security Committee—a forum that brings together healthcare representatives from across the bloc—convened to discuss the situation. The following day, the Commission held two additional meetings: first with authorities from the Netherlands and Spain, and then with all member states that have nationals on board the vessel.
“As the evidence stands, according to the current situation, there is no cause for concern at the moment,” said Eva Hrncirova, the Commission’s spokesperson for health, during a press briefing on Thursday. “The risk for the public in Europe, the risk for the Europeans, is low. The health of the citizens in Europe is our absolute priority, and this obviously applies in this case.”
Coordination and Assistance
The EU’s response also involves the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), which has deployed an expert to the ship, and the World Health Organisation (WHO). Spain has activated the EU’s Civil Protection Mechanism, which facilitates the mobilization of assistance among member states during emergencies. “We are assessing the modalities and the needs of Spain, and we are discussing what kind of assistance could be provided,” Hrncirova added.
The MV Hondius originally departed from Argentina on 1 April with 149 people on board—88 passengers and 61 crew members—according to Oceanwide Expeditions, the company that operates the ship. Nationals from nine EU countries are on board: Spain, France, Germany, Greece, the Netherlands, Belgium, Ireland, Poland, and Portugal.
Around 40 passengers disembarked in Santa Helena, where the ship stopped before heading to Cape Verde. Contact tracing is underway to locate them. The ship is now traveling to the Canary Islands after the Spanish government offered humanitarian and medical assistance, though local authorities have opposed its reception. For more details on the evacuation efforts, see Three Evacuated from MV Hondius in Cape Verde Over Suspected Hantavirus.
The outbreak has also drawn attention to the broader risks of such travel, as highlighted in Hantavirus Outbreak on Antarctic Cruise Ship Highlights Risks of 'Last Chance Tourism'. Meanwhile, the Canary Islands’ president has publicly rejected Madrid’s decision to dock the ship, as reported in Canary Islands President Rejects Madrid's Decision to Dock Hantavirus-Stricken Cruise Ship.
Hantavirus refers to a group of viruses carried by rodents, primarily transmitted to humans through inhalation of airborne particles from dried rodent droppings. The WHO has reported eight cases so far, including three deaths. The Commission’s coordinated response aims to contain the outbreak and ensure that affected individuals receive appropriate care, while reassuring the public that the situation is under control.
