Russian Official Slams Handling of Hantavirus Outbreak on Cruise Ship

The head of Russia’s sovereign wealth fund has sharply criticized the response to a hantavirus outbreak aboard the cruise liner MV Hondius, where seven infections have been confirmed and three people have died. Kirill Dmitriev, who also serves as a special representative for President Putin on foreign investment, took to social media platform X to voice his frustration. “It amazes me that instead of quarantining all passengers from a ship with a confirmed hantavirus outbreak, organizers of ‘Pandemic 2.0’ let them travel home freely to infect others,” he wrote. “They could have at least held a mass gathering so everyone could share experiences and spread the virus further.” Dmitriev’s sarcastic remarks come as Dutch authorities confirmed they will evacuate three infected passengers—from the Netherlands, Germany, and the United Kingdom—starting Monday, May 11, according to news agency Europa Press. The Netherlands’ Ministry of Foreign Affairs has verified the evacuation plan. Hantaviruses are transmitted to humans through contact with rodents and can cause hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome or hantavirus pulmonary syndrome. The MV Hondius, a Dutch-flagged vessel, remains at the center of a growing health scare, with critics questioning why broader isolation measures were not implemented sooner.