Last weekend, in the port of Rotterdam, volunteers built a special quarantine village intended for the Hondius crew. 25 crew members and two doctors who took the ship to the Netherlands after the evacuation of passengers in Tenerife will be isolated in a temporary camp. The ship's operator, Oceanwide Expeditions, assures that currently no one on board shows symptoms of infection. The body of a 78-year-old German woman, one of the victims of the epidemic, will also be removed from the unit.
MV “Hondius” will undergo thorough disinfection
The port authorities in Rotterdam announce that comprehensive disinfection activities will be carried out on board Hondius. The shipowner emphasizes that all procedures are agreed with local sanitary services. Although details of the disinfection process have not yet been disclosed, experts predict that all 80 cabins, common spaces and surfaces most frequently touched by crew and passengers will be cleaned. Additionally, UV light may be used to eliminate the virus.
Virologist Erik Hill explained that regular disinfectants combined with UV light are sufficient to destroy the hantavirus, but it is crucial to thoroughly clean all spaces on the ship. The Netherlands Institute of Public Health has confirmed that Hondius will undergo a thorough cleaning and disinfection.
Despite the tragic events, the Oceanwide Expeditions operator does not intend to give up further trips. The shipowner's official website still contains information about the planned Hondius Arctic cruise, which is scheduled to start on May 29 from Keflavik, Iceland. This means that once disinfection is completed, the ship is expected to return to regular service.
The situation of the French passenger remains critical
So far, 11 cases of hantavirus infection have been confirmed among people associated with the Hondius cruise. Nine of them have been officially confirmed, and two more are treated as suspicions. The most serious health condition concerns a French passenger who is being treated in Paris using an artificial lung. Her doctor, Dr. Xavier Lescure, described this method as the last stage of supportive treatment.
