Nearly 150 people from 23 countries, some grieving, all frightened, all longing for home
A voyage meant for discovery became a vessel of grief when hantavirus emerged aboard the MV Hondius, claiming three lives and confining nearly 150 people from 23 nations to an uncertain sea. As the ship arrived in Tenerife's port of Granadilla, the world's foremost health institutions — the CDC, WHO, and Spanish authorities — worked in concert to untangle an outbreak that had already scattered across continents. It is a story as old as seafaring itself: the ship that carries people also carries what travels within them, and the harbor that receives one must reckon with the other.
- Three people are dead and eight confirmed infected with hantavirus — a rare and serious disease — after an outbreak spread silently through a cruise ship carrying passengers from 23 countries.
- The virus did not wait for the ship to dock: infected passengers had already disembarked before the outbreak was identified, forcing the CDC into a reactive chase across US state lines and international borders.
- Four patients remain hospitalized across three continents — the Netherlands, South Africa, and Switzerland — while the ship itself finally nears land after weeks of confinement at sea.
- Spain's Civil Guard is erecting tents and security infrastructure at Tenerife's port, preparing for a complex multinational screening and repatriation operation unlike anything the island has recently managed.
- Local residents in Tenerife are openly questioning why their island was chosen to receive the ship, and WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has moved to reassure them that this is not another COVID and that the public health risk remains low.
The MV Hondius arrived in Tenerife carrying the weight of three deaths and an outbreak that had already outpaced the ship itself. Eight hantavirus cases had been confirmed by the time the vessel approached the port of Granadilla, where Spanish authorities, the CDC, and the WHO had coordinated a multinational response to bring nearly 150 passengers and crew safely ashore after weeks at sea.
The virus had not stayed aboard. Medical evacuation flights had departed from Cabo Verde in early May, carrying symptomatic patients to hospitals in the Netherlands. By May 8th, four patients remained hospitalized — one in intensive care in Johannesburg, two in Dutch hospitals, and one in Zurich. Meanwhile, the CDC was tracking Americans who had disembarked before the outbreak was identified, notifying state health departments and racing to contain exposure that had already crossed the Atlantic.
Aboard the ship, travel influencer Jake Rosmarin documented the ordeal on Instagram, reporting that remaining passengers were symptom-free and holding together despite the strain. Upon arrival, all would be screened before repatriation. Spain's Civil Guard had already begun preparing the port infrastructure for what would be a complex, multinational operation.
In Tenerife, however, unease was spreading alongside the preparations. Resident Simon Vidal, 69, gave voice to a community's anxiety, questioning why the island had been chosen at all. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus responded directly, assuring the public that the risk remained low and that no symptomatic passengers remained aboard. He acknowledged the human toll plainly: nearly 150 people from 23 countries had been stranded at sea for weeks, some grieving, all frightened. Tenerife, he said, had been selected for its medical capacity and its capacity for compassion.
Oceanwide Expeditions confirmed that passengers and a limited crew would disembark in the Canary Islands, while the remaining crew would sail the Hondius onward to Rotterdam. The outbreak had fractured the voyage into scattered pieces — hospitals, quarantine rooms, repatriation flights — and what remained uncertain was whether the virus had finished its own journey.
The MV Hondius was due to dock in Tenerife this afternoon, and with it came a crisis that had already claimed three lives. The Centers for Disease Control had stepped in to help manage an outbreak of hantavirus aboard the vessel, coordinating with the World Health Organization, the US State Department, and Spanish authorities to bring nearly 150 passengers and crew members safely to shore after weeks at sea. The ship was heading for the port of Granadilla, where medical screening would begin before passengers were sent home to their respective countries.
Eight cases of hantavirus had been confirmed by the time the ship approached land. Two medical evacuation flights had already departed from Cabo Verde in early May, carrying two symptomatic patients and one suspected case to hospitals in the Netherlands. By May 8th, four patients remained hospitalized: one in intensive care in Johannesburg, two in separate Dutch hospitals, and another in Zurich. The virus had moved across continents, following the ship's route and the movements of those who had left it.
The CDC's involvement centered on tracking Americans who had disembarked before anyone realized what was spreading through the vessel. Some had already returned to the United States. The agency notified state health departments in the places where these passengers had gone, providing guidance on how to monitor them and protect their families and communities. It was a containment effort playing catch-up, trying to draw a line around exposure that had already scattered across the Atlantic.
Jake Rosmarin, a travel influencer aboard the ship, had been documenting the experience on Instagram. He reported that all remaining passengers were symptom-free and maintaining their spirits despite the ordeal. Upon arrival in Tenerife, everyone would be screened before repatriation. Spain's Civil Guard had already begun setting up tents and security infrastructure at the port, preparing for what would be a complex, multinational evacuation operation.
But in Tenerife itself, anxiety was rising. Simon Vidal, a 69-year-old resident, voiced the frustration many felt: why had this ship been brought to the Canary Islands at all? Why not somewhere else? The fear was palpable—another disease, another crisis, another disruption. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus moved quickly to calm those fears. "This is not another COVID," he said, emphasizing that the current public health risk remained low. There were no symptomatic passengers still aboard the ship. He thanked Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez and spoke directly to the human dimension of the crisis: nearly 150 people from 23 countries had been confined at sea for weeks, some grieving, all frightened, all desperate to go home. Tenerife had been chosen, Ghebreyesus said, because it had the medical capacity, the infrastructure, and the compassion to help them reach safety.
Oceanwide Expeditions, the cruise operator, confirmed that passengers and a limited crew would disembark in the Canary Islands. The remaining crew would continue aboard the MV Hondius to Rotterdam. The outbreak had fractured the voyage into pieces, scattering people across hospitals and quarantine facilities, but the ship itself would eventually complete its journey. What remained to be seen was whether the virus would follow.
Citações Notáveis
This is not another COVID. The current public health risk from hantavirus remains low.— WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus
Why did they have to bring a boat from another country here? Why not anywhere else, why bring it to the Canary Islands?— Simon Vidal, 69-year-old Tenerife resident
A Conversa do Hearth Outra perspectiva sobre a história
Why did the CDC need to get involved if this was a ship arriving in Spain?
Because American passengers had already left the ship before anyone knew there was an outbreak. Some had gone home to the US. The CDC needed to find them, alert their local health departments, and make sure they weren't spreading the virus in their communities.
Eight cases, three deaths—that's a high fatality rate. Why is the WHO director saying the risk is low?
The risk to the general public is low because the virus is contained to people who were on the ship. It's not spreading in the community. But for those eight people, the risk was very real. Three didn't survive.
What's hantavirus? Why should people in Tenerife be worried or not worried?
It's a virus that can be serious, but it's not like COVID—it doesn't spread easily from person to person. The real concern was the people already infected, and whether anyone else on the ship might be carrying it asymptomatically. That's why screening mattered.
The residents sound skeptical of the reassurances. Do you blame them?
Not really. You've got a ship with a deadly outbreak pulling into your port. The WHO director saying "don't worry" is one thing. Seeing the tents and security being set up is another. People's fear is reasonable even if the actual risk is low.
What happens to the crew who stay on the ship?
They continue to Rotterdam. They're presumably tested and cleared, or at least monitored. But they're also the ones who've been living in the closest quarters with the infected passengers. It's a calculated risk.
The influencer said everyone's in good spirits. Do you believe that?
People cope differently. Some find strength in community, in documenting what's happening, in looking forward to getting home. Others might be terrified but putting on a brave face. Both can be true at the same time.