In a swift international response, passengers and crew from the MV Hondius cruise ship have begun evacuating Tenerife following a deadly hantavirus outbreak. Governments across Europe, North America, and beyond are repatriating their nationals, who will undergo strict quarantine measures, including a 42-day isolation period recommended by the World Health Organization.
Despite the gravity of the situation, health officials emphasize that the person-to-person transmission risk is low, urging the public not to draw parallels with the Covid-19 pandemic, as illustrated by acting U.S. CDC Director Jay Bhattacharya stating, “This is not Covid and we don’t want to treat it like Covid.”
In a swift and coordinated international effort, groups of passengers and crew have begun disembarking from a cruise ship in Tenerife, following the detection of a deadly hantavirus outbreak. On Sunday, these individuals started their journey back to their home countries, where they will adhere to national isolation protocols designed to prevent any further transmission of the disease.
Government-chartered flights carrying Spanish and French nationals landed in Madrid and Paris, respectively, on Sunday afternoon. Upon arrival, passengers were promptly transported to hospitals, as confirmed by both countries' governments.
French Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu disclosed in a post on X that one of the five French passengers exhibited symptoms during the repatriation flight.
Further evacuation flights to Canada, the Netherlands, Turkey, the United Kingdom, Ireland, and the United States were scheduled to depart by 20:30 local time (18:30 GMT) on Sunday, with the final departures anticipated by 19:00 local time on Monday.
Upon reaching their destinations, passengers will undergo immediate testing and will then be directed to local hospitals, specialized quarantine facilities, or allowed to return home for supervised isolation.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has strongly recommended a 42-day quarantine period for all individuals from the affected vessel, commencing Sunday. Maria Van Kerkhove, WHO's director of epidemic and pandemic management, emphasized this guidance in a briefing, highlighting the virus's incubation period, which can extend up to six weeks.
Quarantine durations vary by nation: Spanish passengers will remain hospitalized for the full 42 days, while French nationals will be hospitalized for 72 hours, followed by a 45-day period of self-isolation at home, according to their respective government policies.
“Our recommendation is daily health checks, at home or in a specialized facility. It's up to countries to develop their policies but our recommendations are very clear,” Van Kerkhove affirmed.
TENERIFE, SPAIN - MAY 10: The MV Hondius arrives in the Granadilla Port on May 10, 2026 in Tenerife, part of the Canary Islands, Spain. (Photo by Chris McGrath/Getty Images)
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'This is not Covid'
The hantavirus, typically transmitted from rodents but capable of person-to-person spread in rare cases of close contact, was first identified by health officials in Johannesburg on May 2. This occurred when a British man became critically ill and was admitted to intensive care, 21 days after another passenger had succumbed to the illness. Encouragingly, the British man's health has since improved, a WHO official reported on Sunday.
The WHO suggested that the first passenger who died on the ship might have contracted the infection before boarding, possibly during earlier travels in Argentina and Chile.
Evacuation by boat of Spanish nationals from the cruise ship MV Hondius anchored near the port of Granadilla, on May 10, 2026, in Granadilla de Abona, Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain. The evacuation operation of the MV Hondius cruise ship with hantavirus is ready to start the operations of disembarkation and transfer of the passengers to their respective countries.
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As of Friday, a WHO tally indicated that eight individuals no longer on the ship have fallen ill, with six cases confirmed to be the virus. Tragically, three deaths have been reported: a Dutch couple and a German national. Four patients remain hospitalized across South Africa, the Netherlands, and Switzerland. On the remote British overseas territory of Tristan da Cunha, a suspected case is being managed by a team of medical specialists parachuted in by the UK military.
Despite these concerning figures, health officials have urged the public to remain calm, drawing a clear distinction from the Covid-19 pandemic. They emphasized that hantavirus is significantly less contagious and poses minimal risk to the general population, reminding a public still reeling from past global health crises.
In Spain, a woman who was tested for the virus after sharing a flight with one of the victims received a negative result, further underscoring the limited person-to-person transmission.
“This is not Covid and we don't want to treat it like Covid,” asserted acting U.S. CDC Director Jay Bhattacharya in a CNN interview on Sunday. He specified that the 17 U.S. passengers from the ship would be offered the choice of isolating at home or at a dedicated facility in Nebraska.
Spain's health ministry also downplayed the risk to the broader population and confirmed that no rodents had been detected aboard the ship.
Crew, ship to sail to the Netherlands
The luxury cruise ship initially departed for Spain on Wednesday from the coast of Cape Verde, following requests from the WHO and the European Union for Spain to manage the passenger evacuation after the outbreak's discovery.
Passengers were meticulously transferred from the ship to shore via small boats and then transported to Tenerife airport in military buses, ensuring no direct contact with the general public.
Thirty crew members will remain on board the MV Hondius, scheduled to sail to the Netherlands on Monday evening, where the vessel will undergo comprehensive disinfection procedures.
“Thank God we are all fine... I hope we'll get through the quarantine process smoothly and be able to see family and friends again,” shared Turkish birdwatcher Emin Yogurtcuoglu, a passenger on the ship, in a public Instagram post, reflecting the sentiment of many aboard.
