Hantavirus Breaking Update: Cruise Ship Begins Evacuation Process as Symptom-Free Guests Prepare to Return Home

The MV Hondius has arrived in the Canary Islands and the evacuation process for 150 passengers and crew has begun.

People who have been onboard the ship are being taken off in groups in a process that's being overseen by global health officials, according to Reuters. After a medical evaluation, the passengers and crew members will be flown to their respective home countries on government planes and will have no contact with the general public.

NBC News reports that the first groups of passengers were seen exiting the ship "wearing face masks and head-to-toe personal protective equipment." They boarded small boats that would take them to shore where they would then be transported to a medical tent for evaluation.

So far, there has been a total of eight people who have fallen ill and six confirmed cases of Hantavirus linked to passengers on the ship. Three of those people have died. "Four patients remain hospitalized in South Africa, the Netherlands and Switzerland," per Reuters.

"No symptomatic individuals are present on board," Oceanwide Expeditions, who owns the MV Hondius, said in a statement posted to the company's website on May 9.

The evacuation process is expected to be completed on Monday, May 11. The World Health Organization (WHO) has recommended a ​42-day quarantine for all persons who traveled on the vessel.

The Hantavirus is primarily carried by rodents. Infected humans can experience severe, potentially fatal respiratory or renal illnesses. Early signs of the virus include flu-like symptoms (fever, fatigue, and muscle aches). According to the CDC, the Hantavirus is spread mainly by rodents, though there is a human-to-human strain called the Andes virus.

Experts say that the threat of a widespread Hantavirus outbreak is "low."

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This story was originally published May 10, 2026 at 6:39 AM.