The organisation added that \u201cthe risk to general public remains very low\u201d after they returned from the MV Hondius.<\/a> <\/p>\n It is now believed that a Dutch couple who visited a landfill during a bird-watching tour in Argentina may be the source of the outbreak.<\/p>\n Two Argentine officials said the government’s leading hypothesis was that the couple could have been exposed to rodents on the trip in Ushuaia.<\/p>\n Eight suspected cases of hantavirus have now been linked to the boat, the World Health Organisation said, with five of the cases confirmed.<\/p>\n On Wednesday, three patients were medically evacuated<\/a> from the boat to receive treatment in the Netherlands.<\/p>\n Spain\u2019s health minister said that a British doctor who was evacuated from the boat is no longer in a critical condition. <\/p>\n Oceanwide, the cruise ship operator, said the planned destination for the ship was still the Canary Islands, despite its leader, Fernando Clavijo, blocking the vessel from docking in Tenerife.<\/p>\n <\/a>US travel blogger comes to defence of hantavirus-struck cruise ship and says vessel is clean with strong biosecurity<\/p>\n Travel blogger<\/a> Jake Rosmarin has been documenting his time aboard the illness<\/a>-stricken ship, telling The Independent in a statement that aside from the two confirmed cases, the other passengers on board are \u201cdoing well\u201d and remain \u201cin good spirits\u201d.<\/p>\n Mr Rosmarin noted that the MV Hondius is an expedition vessel, not an average cruise ship<\/a>, and is held to a higher standard of cleanliness due to the types of trips it takes<\/p>\n \u201cThese ships<\/a> operate with strict protocols and a strong emphasis on cleanliness, especially given the remote and environmentally sensitive regions they visit, which require high levels of biosecurity,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n \u201cThe vessel is maintained to a very high standard, and suggestions that it is unclear are not accurate,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n Harriette Boucher7 May 2026 00:00<\/p>\n <\/a>Why the Andes virus is a concerning member of the hantavirus family<\/p>\n The word hantavirus refers to a broad family of viruses, with different versions in different countries. <\/p>\n Almost none of them have been found to spread from person to person \u2014 with the possible exception of the Andes virus, which has been confirmed in the current outbreak.<\/p>\n Still, transmission between people does not happen easily, and would require “close and prolonged” contact, according to the World Health Organisation.<\/p>\n \u201cWe haven\u2019t had huge person-to-person spreads of hantavirus infection ever before, and there\u2019s no reason to suspect a huge outbreak from this case at this point,\u201d said Steven Bradfute, an associate professor and associate director of the Center for Global Health at the University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, which specialises in hantavirus research.<\/p>\n South African tests first confirmed the Andes virus when health authorities said they identified the strain of hantavirus in two passengers who were on the ship.<\/p>\n WHO said the Andes virus is found in South America, primarily in Argentina and Chile.<\/p>\n Harriette Boucher6 May 2026 23:40<\/p>\n <\/a>Up to eight weeks of isolation needed for hantavirus exposure<\/p>\n The UKHSA has said up to eight weeks of isolation could be needed after exposure to the hantavirus. <\/p>\n A spokesperson said this was the \u201cmost cautious scenario\u201d and the public health body would be monitoring exposed passengers \u201cvery closely\u201d over the coming days and weeks. <\/p>\n \u201cMost cases of hantavirus, we think, are transmitted within the first few weeks, but up to eight is the figure we are working with,\u201d the spokesperson said in a video shared by Sky News. <\/p>\n \u201cWe are working on the most cautious scenario, which is the potential eight week isolation. Over the coming days and weeks, we will be monitoring these people very closely and we may be able to adjust that as time goes on. <\/p>\n \u201cWe are going to see how the data derives in the coming days. As you would expect, we are going to treat everything with the utmost caution.\u201d<\/p>\n Harriette Boucher6 May 2026 23:30<\/p>\n <\/a>Passenger who was on MV Hondius was ‘shocked’ to hear of virus outbreak<\/p>\n A passenger on board the MV Hondius has said it was \u201cshocking\u201d to learn of the outbreak on the vessel.<\/p>\n Ruhi Cenet was on the ship for 24 of the 36 days of the cruise and left after the first person had died. <\/p>\n He told Sky News: \u201cWe were on board with these people for 24 days straight. We had relationships. <\/p>\n \u201cI knew these people, I’m very sad that they’re going through this human crisis, I just wish them to get well.\u201d<\/p>\n He said they were told on 12 April that a passenger had passed away due to \u201cnatural causes\u201d, which he said was a \u201crelaxing explanation\u201d, but turned out to not be true. <\/p>\n With the World Health Organisation\u2019s involvement, he said he was noe \u201chopeful\u201d for the passengers on board.<\/p>\n Harriette Boucher6 May 2026 23:10<\/p>\n <\/a>Two of three evacuated patients in hospital, while third experiencing delays<\/p>\n Two medicalised aircraft, carrying two of the three individuals transferred from the hantavirus-hit cruise ship earlier today has landed in the Netherlands and the passengers have been taken to the hospital.<\/p>\n Oceanwide Expeditions, the cruise ship operator, said a second aircraft carrying the third individual was experiencing a delay, but the individual on board remained in a stable condition. <\/p>\n The company confirmed that the vessel had departed Cape Verde and is headed for the Canary Islands. <\/p>\n \u201cThis is expected to take 3-4 days,\u201d a statement said. <\/p>\n \u201cThree additional medical professionals have embarked m\/v Hondius to provide optimal medical care during the crossing.\u201d<\/p>\n Harriette Boucher6 May 2026 23:03<\/p>\n <\/a>‘I have no idea how long I’ll be in hospital’, says Briton evacuated from cruise ship<\/p>\n British crew member Martin Anstee, who was among those evacuated from the cruise ship, said he has no idea how long he will be in hospital. <\/p>\n Mr Anstee told Sky News: \u201cI’m doing okay. I’m not feeling too bad. There are still lots of tests to be done. I have no idea how long I\u2019ll be in the hospital for. I’m in isolation at the moment.\u201d<\/p>\n The 56 year old expedition guide on MV Hondius said that his doctors should have a clearer picture on Friday. <\/p>\n Regarding symptoms, he told Sky that he \u201ccan’t say any more than at the moment\u201d.<\/p>\n Harriette Boucher6 May 2026 22:49<\/p>\n <\/a>Argentina to test rodents at origin point of hantavirus-hit cruise ship<\/p>\n Argentina’s \u200bhealth ministry will \u200ccarry out rodent trapping and analysis \u200bin the \u200bsouthern city of Ushuaia, \u2060the origin \u200bpoint of a \u200bcruise ship hit by a deadly hantavirus outbreak, \u200bit said \u200bin a statement on \u200cWednesday.<\/p>\n Officials \u2060are always reconstructing the itinerary of Dutch citizens \u200bwho \u200btraveled \u2060in Argentina and Chile \u200band later presented \u200bsymptoms \u2060of hantavirus on the cruise, \u2060the \u200bstatement \u200bsaid.<\/p>\n Harriette Boucher6 May 2026 22:30<\/p>\n <\/a>‘Traumatic few days’ for British crew member evacuated from cruise ship, wife says<\/p>\n British crew member Martin Anstee was among those evacuated from the ship, The Telegraph has reported.<\/p>\n The 56 year old expedition guide and former police officer was flown to receive specialist medical care in the Netherlands after being airlifted off the vessel.<\/p>\n His wife Nicola told The Telegraph it had been \u201ca very traumatic few days.<\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019s relieved to be off the ship. He had it quite mild then it got a bit more serious and now he\u2019s stable again.<\/p>\n \u201cThe fear with this virus is it can deteriorate very quickly so it\u2019s been a bit up and down for him.<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t believe he\u2019s in imminent danger now but it was horrible.\u201d<\/p>\n Harriette Boucher6 May 2026 22:00<\/p>\n
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(Reuters)<\/p>\n