WHO Clears the World, but Hantavirus Keeps MS Hondius in Suspense

According to the WHO, it is highly likely that the virus on the ship is the so-called Andes virus. The treacherous thing about this specific strain is that it is one of the few types of Hantavirus capable of human-to-human transmission. Since the voyage began in Ushuaia, Argentina—a known high-risk area for this virus—the WHO assumes that the pathogen was brought on board there. In the confined spaces of a ship, the virus then found ideal conditions to spread.

However, the most important and reassuring message from the WHO for the general public is this: The risk of a global pandemic is considered very low. Because Hantaviruses are primarily transmitted through contact with rodents and only jump from human to human through very close contact, there is no threat of an uncontrolled spread on land. For the 149 people on board the MS Hondius, however, this assessment offers little comfort, as the virus has already claimed three lives there, and other individuals are showing severe symptoms.

To bring the situation on board under control, the WHO is currently coordinating the next steps together with the flag state, the Netherlands. The top priority is highly complex medical evacuation flights for the severely ill crew members. For the remaining passengers, the shipping company Oceanwide Expeditions, under the watchful eyes of health authorities, is considering sailing further toward the Canary Islands, where safe quarantine and disembarkation could take place under European standards.