Hantavirus-stricken cruise ship arrives in Rotterdam
Kyiv • UNN
The vessel MV Hondius has arrived in Rotterdam for disinfection following the deaths of three people from hantavirus. The crew is currently under quarantine under police supervision.
A cruise liner that suffered a deadly outbreak of hantavirus has docked in the Dutch port of Rotterdam for disinfection, concluding a difficult journey that raised alarms among international health authorities, AP reports, according to UNN.
Details
There were 25 crew members and two medical workers on board the MV Hondius when the vessel arrived in Rotterdam on Monday morning, after all passengers had disembarked elsewhere.
An Associated Press journalist saw people on board wearing masks as the vessel was escorted through the port by a tugboat and a Dutch police boat. Authorities state that the crew will be immediately placed under quarantine.
During the outbreak, three passengers on board the vessel died, including a Dutch couple who health officials believe were the first to be exposed to the virus while visiting South America.
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The MV Hondius spent the last six days sailing from the Canary Islands, where the remaining passengers were escorted off the ship by personnel in full protective gear and boarded flights to more than 20 countries to undergo quarantine.
Addendum
As reported by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, according to the ship's operator, four Ukrainian citizens remained on board as part of the crew after the stop in Tenerife to ensure the vessel's transit to the Netherlands. Upon arrival, they were planned to be sent to a medical facility for quarantine.