Hondius evacuees land in Eindhoven as new infection emerges

Eight Dutch passengers from the cruise ship Hondius, where the hantavirus outbreak began, landed at Eindhoven airport on Sunday evening along with 18 people of other nationalities, according to broadcaster NOS.

The Dutch returnees must spend six weeks in home quarantine, take their temperature twice a day and report daily to the health service (GGD), public health institute RIVM said.

Meanwhile, one American passenger, who was taken to the US on a separate flight yesterday, has tested positive for the virus but is showing no symptoms, according to the American health ministry.

A second passenger on the same plane has developed mild symptoms and is travelling in a biocontainment unit. Sixteen others were on the same flight, which landed in Nebraska on Sunday.

Possible French infection

A French passenger on a separate repatriation flight to Paris developed symptoms and is being tested in isolation, French prime minister Sébastien Lecornu has said. Four other French nationals on the plane have been placed in isolation.

Repatriation flights have now returned more than 90 people from the ship, which docked in Tenerife on Sunday morning carrying 147 passengers and crew, according to Spanish authorities.

Spain, France, Canada, the Netherlands, Turkey, the UK, Ireland and the US all evacuated their nationals on Sunday, Spanish health minister Mónica García said. A final Australian flight, also carrying a New Zealander and one resident of Tenerife, is due to leave on Monday afternoon.

Captain thanks passengers

The captain of the ship, Jan Dobrogowski, recorded a video message on Monday thanking the passengers and crew for supporting each other through an “extremely challenging” period.

“What moved me the most was your patience, your discipline and the kindness you showed to each other,” he said. “And I must commend my crew for their courage and the selfless resolve that they showed time and again in the most difficult moments.

“I could not imagine sailing in these circumstances with a better group of people.”

Once resupplied, the ship will sail to Rotterdam with its crew and a medical team on board. The voyage is expected to take five days, after which the vessel will be disinfected.

Of the 38 Filipino crew, 24 hotel stewards are being flown to the Netherlands for a 42-day quarantine, the Philippines’ migrant workers minister, told a press briefing on Sunday. Four arrived on Sunday and the remaining 20 will follow on Monday.

The other 14, all deck and engine staff, will stay on the ship to sail it to Rotterdam and begin their quarantine on arrival.