Cruise Line Denies Rodent Presence on Virus-Stricken Ship

The operator of the MV Hondius, the cruise ship at the center of a deadly hantavirus outbreak, insists the vessel was free of rodents during the voyage. Remy Buysse, managing director of Oceanwide Expeditions, stated Tuesday that there is no evidence linking the infection to the ship’s condition or the company’s onboard procedures.

“At this stage, there is no reason to believe the source of the infection is related to the technical state of the vessel or the way we conduct operations,” Buysse said in a company statement. He emphasized that the Dutch-owned expedition line maintains rigorous pest control protocols, including regular inspections and monitoring, and that these measures were fully enforced throughout the trip.

“No signs of rodents or other pests were detected during the entire voyage,” Buysse added.

The outbreak occurred in early May as the MV Hondius sailed from Argentina to Cape Verde. Three people died, and several infected passengers were evacuated by air to hospitals. The remaining passengers were later taken off the ship, which then continued to Rotterdam with crew and medical staff onboard. Upon arrival, they were placed in quarantine.

Hantaviruses are transmitted to humans through contact with rodents. They can cause hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome and a severe lung infection known as hantavirus pulmonary syndrome. Health authorities continue to investigate the exact source of the outbreak.