The vessel

MV Hondius

Polar expedition vessel operated by Oceanwide Expeditions. Affected by the hantavirus episode declared between April and May 2026.

The polar expedition ship MV Hondius seen in profile, white and blue hull, photographed in port in 2025.
MV Hondius photographed in June 2025. Photo: Stefan Brending — Wikimedia Commons, licence CC BY-SA 3.0 DE.

The vessel

Name
MV Hondius
Flag
Pays-Bas
Operator
Oceanwide Expeditions
Capacity
196 passengers, 89 crew
Built
2019

The voyage from April 1, 2026 to May 10, 2026

  1. MV Hondius departs Ushuaia, Argentina.

  2. First death — Dutch man (70) near Saint Helena.

  3. Body disembarked in Saint Helena.

  4. Dutch woman (69) dies. British passenger evacuated to South Africa.

  5. Third death — German citizen.

  6. PCR positive for hantavirus (Andes virus).

  7. Cape Verde denies entry to the ship.

  8. WHO confirms possible human-to-human transmission. 7 cases (2 confirmed, 5 suspected). Low public risk.

  9. 8 cases (6 confirmed, 2 probable). Ship docks in Canary Islands.

Illustrated itinerary

The vessel crossed several areas where the Andes virus is endemic in South America. Stops in chronological order, from Ushuaia to Gran Canaria:

  1. Vue du port d'Ushuaia (Argentine) en Terre de Feu, avec navires et chaîne montagneuse en arrière-plan.
    Port d'Ushuaia. Photo : Acaro, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0.

    Ushuaia and Tierra del Fuego

    Argentina

    Port of departure. The voyage begins here, in the Beagle Channel.

  2. Front de mer de Stanley dans les îles Malouines, vu depuis le port avec maisons colorées.
    Stanley, îles Malouines. Photo : Christof Kemmann, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0.

    Falkland Islands (Stanley)

    UK / Argentina

    First port of call after Ushuaia.

  3. Baie de Grytviken en Géorgie du Sud, ancienne station baleinière au pied des montagnes.
    Grytviken, Géorgie du Sud. Photo : Tim Greyhavens, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0.

    South Georgia (Grytviken)

    UK

    Former whaling station, large king penguin colonies.

  4. Panorama de la colonie d'Edinburgh of the Seven Seas sur l'île de Tristan da Cunha, au pied du volcan.
    Edinburgh of the Seven Seas, Tristan da Cunha. Photo : Brian Gratwicke, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0.

    Tristan da Cunha

    UK

    Most remote inhabited island in the world. ~250 permanent residents.

  5. Vue satellite de l'île de Sainte-Hélène dans l'Atlantique Sud.
    Île de Sainte-Hélène vue de l'espace. Photo : NASA Expedition 19, Wikimedia Commons, domaine public (NASA).

    Saint Helena (Jamestown)

    UK

    First death. The body of the Dutch passenger is disembarked here.

  6. Vue de Mindelo sur l'île de São Vicente au Cap-Vert, port et baie.
    Mindelo, Cap-Vert. Photo : Manuel de Sousa, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0.

    Cape Verde (Mindelo) — entry denied

    Cape Verde

    Cape Verde refuses to dock the ship. MV Hondius diverts to the Canary Islands.

  7. Port de Las Palmas à Gran Canaria avec navires à quai, vue panoramique.
    Port de Las Palmas, Gran Canaria. Photo : Gerd Eichmann, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0.

    Gran Canaria (Las Palmas)

    Spain

    Final disembarkation, under WHO/ECDC coordination.

According to health authorities, the first patients were most likely contaminated before boarding, during stays in South America.

Current status

The vessel docked at Gran Canaria, Canary Islands on May 10, 2026. Passengers and crew were repatriated to their respective countries with a medical follow-up protocol throughout the incubation period.

Contact tracing continues across 10 countries.