Two Indian crew members aboard the Dutch-flagged vessel MV Hondius, which faces a hantavirus outbreak after anchoring off the Canary Islands, are confirmed “healthy and asymptomatic,” according to the Indian Embassy in Spain. Multiple reports cite the embassy’s confirmation that the two nationals do not show symptoms and that the ambassador is in close contact with Spanish authorities regarding the situation. The crew members are evacuated to the Netherlands for quarantine, where they will be assessed and managed under applicable health and safety protocols.
The reporting also notes that the World Health Organization advises a risk-based approach to managing contacts in hantavirus situations, reflecting that human-to-human transmission is limited for the relevant virus. The vessel’s outbreak is described as linked to the Andes virus. Authorities’ focus, therefore, includes contact management and quarantine measures for those exposed, while monitoring for any development of symptoms among the crew members and other relevant contacts.
