An international crisis. No fewer than 23 nationalities were represented by the 87 passengers and 60 crew members of the MV Hondius, a cruise ship where an outbreak of hantavirus was detected. The Andes strain of this virus, extremely lethal and transmissible between humans with an incubation period of up to six weeks, has already claimed three lives.
Passengers and crew members were evacuated over the weekend and placed in isolation in several countries to limit the spread of the virus. Le Parisien provides an overview of the main protocols in place.
France: Passengers and close contacts monitored at the hospital
In France, a decree published Sunday night in the Official Journal allows authorities to compel the five passengers to remain in quarantine in a healthcare facility for the necessary duration for medical and epidemiological assessment, up to a maximum of 42 days, corresponding to the virus’s incubation period.
The 22 identified French cases contact must inform health authorities without delay and initially follow a home quarantine measure pending assessment of infection risk, to be done within three days of notification. The protocol was tightened on Monday, with Health Minister Sébastien Lecornu announcing a “strengthened hospital quarantine for all contacts without exception.”
“We have experience from recent years to draw on,” explained government spokeswoman Maud Bregeon, emphasizing the drastic measures being taken, considered among the toughest in the European Union.
A more cautious approach is advocated by epidemiologist Antoine Flahault, suggesting placing all contacts in strict hospital isolation for 45 days to minimize further transmission risks given the ambiguity surrounding the virus’s transmission strength.
Australia: Quarantine center built during Covid-19
The six Australian passengers of the MV Hondius will spend at least three weeks in the Bullsbrook quarantine center in Oceania, devised during the Covid-19 pandemic in the outskirts of Perth, Health Minister Mark Butler announced.
United Kingdom: Home isolation for 45 days
British passengers will be screened in a hospital near Liverpool, and if they fall ill after arrival, will be swiftly transferred to another facility, with a mandatory home isolation period of 45 days according to UKHSA.
Netherlands: Home isolation for passengers, hotel quarantine for crew members
In the Netherlands, MV Hondius repatriated passengers will be directly sent home for quarantine, while the 38 crew members from the Philippines will be confined in a hotel for 42 days before flying back home if asymptomatic.
Spain: Placed in a military hospital
Spanish evacuees from the MV Hondius have been placed in isolation at the Gómez Ulla military hospital in Madrid, with mandatory weekly health evaluations and severe penalties for non-compliance, aiming to break any transmission chains.
United States: Nebraska specialized center
Eighteen passengers under hantavirus surveillance in the United States, including one positive case, are under observation in medical facilities. Sixteen cases are at a specialized center in Omaha, Nebraska, and two in an Atlanta hospital, undergoing tests as part of their observational period. No high-risk individuals will be left unattended, ensuring public safety.
Health authorities in several US states are also monitoring others who disembarked earlier from MV Hondius, offering home isolation options with testing facilities to prevent the disease transmission, as explained by a CDC official, Brendan Jackson.
[Context: The MV Hondius experienced an outbreak of hantavirus, a rare virus prevalent in rodents that can cause serious illness in humans.] [Fact Check: The article accurately summarizes the different quarantine measures and protocols implemented in various countries for passengers and crew members from the MV Hondius due to the hantavirus outbreak.]
:fill(black)/2026/05/12/6a031ed1b0fd1245287194.jpg "At 16, she participates in the Cannes Film Festival.")
