The MV Hondius cruise ship was at the centre of a hantavirus outbreak earlier this month after passengers fell ill, with three deaths confirmed linked to the outbreak by health authorities.
The cruise ship at the centre of a deadly hantavirus outbreak has been given the green light to set sail once more, according to Oceanwide Expeditions.
MV Hondius triggered a global health scare earlier this month after passengers began falling ill with the disease. A total of 13 confirmed cases have been linked to the outbreak, resulting in three deaths.Hantavirus is a rare, rodent-borne illness for which no vaccine or specific treatment currently exists, and the virus can remain dormant in the body for up to eight weeks.
Following an extensive deep clean and disinfection, the vessel has now been declared fit to return to sea, with the Dutch public health authority confirming there are 'no longer any obstacles to putting the Hondius back to sea'.
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) directed the 22 British passengers on board to undergo testing at Arrowe Park Hospital on the Wirral, in Merseyside — entering quarantine on May 10. Six were permitted to leave the hospital to complete their isolation at home on May 13, while the remaining 16 passengers are still being held at the facility.
Just over nine weeks after the first passenger fell ill on April 6, the ship is now expected to resume sailing, reports the Mirror.
The latest update from Oceanwide Expeditions reads: "The planned departure of m/v Hondius from the port of Rotterdam to Vlissingen has been delayed following advice from GGD Rotterdam for additional cleaning procedures."The remaining crew members from the original voyage were escorted to quarantine facilities on Saturday evening. Captain Jan Dobrogowski was transported to Poland via specialized transport. Where appropriate, Dutch crew members have returned to their homes for home quarantine as per established protocols.
"GGD Rotterdam, in cooperation with Oceanwide Expeditions, wants to ensure that the vessel is ready to be safely returned to service. Based on their inspection findings, GGD has advised additional cleaning. Following completion of this work, GGD will conduct a final inspection before the vessel can depart from Rotterdam.
"We will communicate the expected timeline for these procedures as soon as this becomes clear. At this stage, all voyages from 13 June onwards will proceed as scheduled. No further disruption to the sailing schedule of m/v Hondius is expected."
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