The World Health Organization said on Sunday, May 18, that it was maintaining its “low risk” assessment of the hantavirus outbreak linked to the cruise ship MV Hondius.

The ship is expected to dock in the Dutch port of Rotterdam on Monday before disembarking its 27 remaining passengers. Three people died in the outbreak aboard the vessel.

Why has WHO kept the hantavirus risk rating at “low”?

WHO reassessed the outbreak using the most current available information and concluded the global public health risk remains low.

While additional cases may still occur among passengers and crew exposed before containment measures were put in place, the risk of further transmission is expected to fall after disembarkation and the implementation of control measures.

When will the MV Hondius arrive in Rotterdam?

The MV Hondius is expected to dock in Rotterdam between 10:00 am and midday on Monday, according to officials. The ship carries 27 remaining people on board: 25 crew members and two medical staff. The vessel is operated by Dutch company Oceanwide Expeditions.

The ship made international headlines after three passengers died from hantavirus during the voyage. Hantavirus is a rare virus for which no vaccines or specific treatments currently exist.

The outbreak was identified as Andes virus, a strain of hantavirus primarily spread through contact with infected rodents or their droppings rather than person-to-person transmission.

What is hantavirus and why is it rare?

Hantavirus is a viral disease with no approved vaccine or targeted treatment. Available evidence indicates that the risk of healthcare-associated transmission, including from Andes virus, is very low when proper precautions are followed.

WHO confirmed eight cases linked to the cruise ship outbreak and has been monitoring close contacts of confirmed cases while continuing to update its global risk assessment.