Hantavirus scare: Inside MV Hondius, the luxury Antarctic cruise at the centre of the outbreak

A luxury polar expedition cruise ship that promised passengers a once-in-a-lifetime journey through Antarctica and some of the world’s most isolated Atlantic islands is now under the scanner as public health authorities work to prevent the spread of the deadly hantavirus, an investigation that has already stretched across several continents.

The MV Hondius, is an ice-strengthened exploration vessel operated by Oceanwide Expeditions.

The outbreak
has already been linked to at least three deaths — a Dutch couple and a German national — while multiple confirmed and suspected infections have prompted health agencies around the world to begin tracing passengers.

What do we know about the MV Hondius?

At first glance, the MV Hondius does not resemble the giant entertainment-focused cruise liners commonly associated with tourism these days. This ship was
specifically built for polar expeditions and scientific-style exploration voyages in some of the harshest maritime environments on Earth.

The vessel measures 107.6 metres in length and 17.6 metres in breadth, with a draft of 5.30 metres and a displacement of 5,590 tonnes. It travels at speeds of up to 15 knots and is powered by two ABC main engines with a combined output of 4,200 kilowatts.

What distinguishes the Hondius from traditional cruise ships is its ice-strengthened construction.

According to Oceanwide Expeditions, the vessel became the first registered Polar Class 6 cruise ship in the world, meeting advanced Lloyd’s Register standards for operations in ice-covered waters.

The classification enables the ship to navigate difficult Arctic and Antarctic conditions while maintaining expedition-style access to remote coastal regions.

Named after Flemish-Dutch cartographer and engraver Jodocus Hondius, the ship was designed as an environmentally conscious exploration vessel rather than a mass-tourism platform.

Instead of casinos, waterparks, and concert halls, the Hondius features lecture rooms, observation lounges, and workshop spaces intended for educational programming.

Passengers on these voyages typically attend presentations by biologists, geologists, glaciologists, and expedition specialists while travelling through ecologically sensitive regions.

The ship can accommodate up to 170 passengers in 80 cabins of varying categories. These include six grand suites with balconies, eight junior suites, eight superior cabins, 11 deluxe twin cabins, 14 window cabins, and several porthole-based accommodations designed for smaller groups or families.

Oceanwide Expeditions markets the vessel as combining “stylish mid-century modern décor” with a relaxed expedition atmosphere.

The company also notes that travellers are expected to be in sufficiently good physical condition to board Zodiac boats and walk for extended periods during shore excursions in rugged terrain.

Voyages aboard the Hondius are not inexpensive.

The Antarctic-South Atlantic journey connected to the outbreak was advertised at prices ranging between 14,000 (Rs. 15.53 lakh) and 22,000 (Rs. 24.40 lakh) euros, while some reports indicated fares could rise depending on cabin category and itinerary package.

Who was onboard the MV Hondius, where were they headed?

The cruise began on March 20, when the MV Hondius departed Ushuaia, the southern Argentine port often described as the gateway to Antarctica. Ushuaia routinely hosts scientific vessels, expedition ships, and large cruise liners operating in polar waters.

According to voyage records, 149 individuals boarded the vessel at the beginning of the expedition.

The ship carried 88 passengers and 59 crew members representing 23 different nationalities. Among them were 14 Spanish nationals, including travellers from Catalonia, Madrid, Galicia, and Valencia.

One of the crew members identified in reports was oceanographer Aitana Forcén-Vázquez, who served as a guide during the expedition. Two crew members
are reportedly Indian nationals.

The itinerary was ambitious. The vessel first travelled through Antarctic waters before returning to Ushuaia. On April 1, the ship began the second phase of its expedition, heading north through the South Atlantic Ocean.

The route included stops or planned visits near mainland Antarctica, the Falkland Islands, South Georgia, Nightingale Island, Tristan da Cunha, Saint Helena, Ascension Island, and eventually Cape Verdean waters.

The voyage was marketed as a rare opportunity to explore isolated ecosystems, wildlife-rich environments, and remote island territories seldom visited by conventional tourism operations.

Passenger manifests also underwent changes during the journey. Reports indicate that 114 guests were onboard when the vessel departed Ushuaia on April 1.

Later, on April 15, six additional individuals boarded the ship at Tristan da Cunha. Four of them were reportedly British nationals already listed in the vessel’s original manifest, while two were described as unplanned additions believed to be Chilean nationals.

Authorities also later identified inconsistencies in guest records connected to Saint Helena. When the ship arrived there on April 24, 120 guests were onboard.

Thirty individuals disembarked at the island, including the body of a passenger who had died earlier during the voyage.

When did the first illnesses begin to appear onboard MV Hondius?

The first known medical emergency aboard the Hondius reportedly began on April 6, when a 70-year-old Dutch passenger developed symptoms including fever, headaches, abdominal pain, and diarrhoea.

Over the following days, his condition worsened significantly. He eventually developed severe respiratory complications and died onboard on April 11.

At the time of his death, the precise cause remained unknown. Reports later indicated that his body remained aboard the ship for nearly two weeks as the expedition continued northward through isolated Atlantic waters.

The situation escalated further after the vessel reached Saint Helena on April 24. The island, located roughly 1,250 miles west of Angola in the South Atlantic Ocean, became a key point in the outbreak timeline.

The deceased passenger’s remains were removed from the ship there, and his 69-year-old wife disembarked to begin arrangements for repatriation to the Netherlands. Around that same period, she reportedly began experiencing gastrointestinal symptoms herself.

At the same time, another passenger — identified as a British national — approached the ship’s doctor after developing fever, breathing difficulties, and pneumonia-like illness.

On April 25, the Dutch woman travelled onward to South Africa with her husband’s body. During the journey, her condition deteriorated dramatically. She reportedly fainted after arriving at OR Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg and was taken to a medical facility. She died the following day.

Meanwhile, the British passenger’s health also continued to worsen. By April 26, he required urgent medical intervention.

The ship had already reached Ascension Island by then, and the patient was evacuated by air to South Africa on April 27. Reports later stated that he remained in intensive care.

Another serious illness emerged shortly afterward. On April 28, a German woman onboard reportedly became unwell and rapidly developed symptoms associated with pneumonia. Her condition deteriorated quickly, and she died on May 2.

At this stage, the outbreak had still not been fully identified, and several deaths had already occurred aboard or shortly after leaving the ship.

How was hantavirus eventually identified on MV Hondius?

The outbreak began to take clearer shape on May 2,
when laboratory testing in South Africa confirmed hantavirus infection in the British passenger who had been airlifted from the vessel.

Two days later, testing also identified the virus in one of the deceased passengers. Those findings led authorities to conclude that the MV Hondius was experiencing a hantavirus outbreak.

Hantaviruses
are generally associated with rodents and are commonly transmitted to humans through exposure to infected rodent urine, droppings, or saliva. Human-to-human transmission is considered uncommon, although some strains have shown limited capability for person-to-person spread under specific circumstances.

The WHO later
confirmed five infections connected to the outbreak while identifying several additional suspected cases.

By the time the virus was confirmed, the ship had already approached Cape Verdean waters. On May 3, three more passengers reportedly developed high fever and gastrointestinal symptoms. One of the seriously ill individuals was identified as the cruise ship’s doctor.

Medical teams in Cape Verde evaluated affected passengers and collected samples for additional testing. However, authorities did not permit the vessel to dock or allow sick passengers to disembark.

The Hondius subsequently remained anchored near Praia while international agencies coordinated next steps and attempted to manage the growing crisis.

On May 4, the outbreak became public knowledge as the ship awaited further instructions offshore.

The following day, after discussions involving the WHO and the Spanish government, Spain agreed to allow the vessel to proceed toward the Canary Islands, a Spanish archipelago off the coast of northwestern Africa. Officials did not immediately reveal which specific port would receive the ship.

How are countries around the world responding to the outbreak?

Because passengers and crew had already disembarked in multiple countries before the virus was identified,
the outbreak rapidly evolved into a global contact-tracing operation.

Oceanwide Expeditions said it was attempting to reconstruct the movements of all passengers and crew members who had boarded or left the ship at various stages since March 20.

Special attention was placed on travellers who disembarked at Saint Helena on April 24. Reports stated that people from at least 12 countries left the ship there, including seven British citizens and six Americans.

Health authorities in numerous countries subsequently began monitoring travellers linked to the expedition.

In the United States, public health agencies in several states launched monitoring efforts. Georgia authorities said they were observing two asymptomatic residents who had returned home after leaving the vessel.

Arizona health officials monitored another resident who had travelled aboard the ship but was not displaying symptoms.

California reportedly tracked multiple residents connected to the cruise, while Texas officials confirmed that two residents had returned to the US before the outbreak was identified.

Canadian authorities stated that two Canadians aboard the cruise had already returned home before hantavirus was detected. Another Canadian passenger reportedly travelled on the same flight as an infected individual. Officials said all three individuals were asymptomatic at the time monitoring began.

Singapore isolated and tested two residents who had travelled aboard the Hondius, according to the country’s Communicable Diseases Agency.

In Europe, France reported that one citizen had contact with an infected person but was not showing symptoms. Denmark advised a returning passenger to self-isolate as a precautionary measure.

Swiss officials
confirmed that a man hospitalised after travelling on the cruise tested positive for hantavirus.

Dutch authorities also initiated extensive follow-up procedures after the death of the Dutch woman who travelled through Johannesburg. Airline personnel and passengers who had interacted with her were contacted and monitored.

Dutch airline KLM stated that the woman had been removed from a flight in Johannesburg on April 25 because her health had deteriorated significantly before departure to the Netherlands.

According to RTL, a KLM flight attendant who had contact with the woman was later admitted to hospital in Amsterdam after showing possible hantavirus symptoms.

Dutch public broadcaster NOS reported that passengers and crew members who assisted the woman onboard were receiving daily health checks from authorities.

What about the passengers and crew still aboard the Hondius?

Even after the outbreak was recognised internationally, the situation onboard the Hondius continued to evolve.

Three patients were evacuated from the vessel on Wednesday during the height of the response effort. Two were transferred to hospitals in the Netherlands, while another was sent to Germany for medical evaluation.

The German patient receiving treatment at Duesseldorf University Clinic was reportedly considered a close contact rather than a confirmed case at the time of transfer.

One of the evacuees taken to the Netherlands was expedition guide Martin Anstee. Speaking to Sky News, he said he was “doing OK” but added that “there are still lots of tests to be done”.

Despite mounting concern, Oceanwide Expeditions indicated that conditions onboard remained relatively orderly. The company
said passengers were “generally, composed” as health authorities attempted to determine how the virus first appeared on the vessel and whether transmission occurred between passengers.

Investigators are still working to identify the original source of the outbreak.

The unusual nature of the expedition route — involving isolated islands, remote ecosystems, multiple embarkation points, and extended periods at sea — has complicated efforts to reconstruct transmission patterns.

Authorities are also examining discrepancies in passenger manifests and embarkation records to better understand who was onboard at different stages of the journey.

With inputs from agencies