The Dutch-flagged cruise ship MV Hondius, which has been hit by a hantavirus outbreak, arrived in Spain’s Canary Islands early May 10, 2026. The nearly 150 passengers and crew are expected to be evacuated from the industrial port of Granadilla de Abona. Most will fly home after weeks at sea. Three people on board have died, including a Dutch couple and a German woman. Hantavirus can spread between humans only through the Andes strain, which has been confirmed among those who tested positive.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus arrived in Spain to oversee the evacuation operation. He assured that the risk to the general public remains low. The Dutch firm Oceanwide Expeditions said all guests and a limited number of crew members are expected to begin disembarking from around 0700 GMT, with immediate transfer to aircraft.
Regional authorities have refused to allow the ship to dock, instead keeping it offshore while passengers are screened and evacuated between Sunday and Monday - weather permitting. The WHO confirmed six cases out of eight suspected ones, with no remaining suspected cases on board. The MV Hondius left Cape Verde earlier in the week, where three infected people had already been evacuated.
Spain’s health and interior ministers insisted there would be "no contact" with the local population. A flight attendant from KLM tested negative for hantavirus after coming into contact with an infected passenger who later died. Spanish authorities are testing a woman on that plane who developed symptoms at home in eastern Spain, while British health authorities reported a suspected case on Tristan da Cunha.
Daily life appeared largely normal at the port of Granadilla de Abona, despite concerns. Lottery vendor David Parada said people were not overly concerned about potential dangers.
