The source may be linked to a birdwatching trip a couple took to a landfill site in South America before boarding the vessel, officials said [National News]Joe Smith and Annette Belcher Live News Content Editor
17:11, 06 May 2026Updated 17:17, 06 May 2026
The cruise ship MV Hondius stationary off the port of Praia(Image: AFP via Getty Images)
The Hantavirus outbreak aboard the MV Hondius may have been triggered by a birdwatching trip to a landfill, according to investigators. Argentine officials told the Associated Press that the leading theory behind the infection involves a Dutch couple who visited a site in Ushuaia before embarking on the cruise.
It is suspected that the pair were exposed to rodents carrying the virus while touring the landfill location. Authorities are focusing on this specific excursion as the probable source of the outbreak that has impacted those currently on the vessel.
While the investigation continues, the cruise liner is currently traveling toward the Canary Islands, though the vessel’s arrival has sparked a significant political standoff, reports The Mirror.
Regional President Fernando Clavijo has refused to allow the infected ship to dock, citing safety concerns. The Canary Islands leader has requested an urgent meeting with Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez to address the situation, stating firmly: “I cannot allow it to enter the Canary Islands.”
Meanwhile Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper said the government and the Health Security Agency (UKHSA) are working to get 19 British passengers and four crew members aboard the MV Hondius “safely home”.
The Foreign Secretary said the work was being undertaken “with proper protection for public health” as the UKHSA works with the World Health Organization.
“The outbreak of hantavirus is very serious and deeply stressful for those affected and their families,” the she added.