UK Health Authorities Monitor Travelers for Up to 45 Days Under WHO Guidelines

A Japanese national aboard the Dutch cruise ship MV Hondius, which has been hit by a hantavirus outbreak during a voyage in the Atlantic Ocean, will undergo health monitoring by British authorities for up to 45 days following arrival in the UK. The development comes as health officials across Europe and beyond scramble to trace passengers who disembarked from the ship before the outbreak was detected, with the World Health Organization (WHO) confirming five cases of hantavirus—including three deaths—linked to the vessel.

The MV Hondius, operated by Oceanwide Expeditions, set sail from Ushuaia, Argentina, on April 1, 2026, carrying around 150 passengers and crew from 28 countries. The ship stopped at several ports, including St Helena in the South Atlantic, before the first confirmed case of hantavirus was reported on May 4. By that time, 30 passengers from a dozen nations, including seven British nationals, had already disembarked at St Helena on April 24.

Hantavirus typically spreads through contact with rodent urine, droppings, or saliva, but the WHO has noted that the current outbreak involves the Andes strain, which can be transmitted between humans through close contact. Here’s the first known instance of hantavirus transmission on a cruise ship, raising concerns about the potential for further spread among those who may have been exposed before symptoms appeared.

In the UK, three British nationals have been identified as having potential exposure to hantavirus. Two are currently self-isolating at home after returning from the ship, while a third, 56-year-old retired police officer Martin Anstee, was evacuated to the Netherlands for treatment and remains in stable condition. Another British passenger, a 69-year-old man, was medically evacuated to South Africa and is reported to be doing better. Health officials in the UK have advised that all passengers who returned from the ship will likely be required to self-isolate for up to 45 days, in line with WHO recommendations.

Spain, where the MV Hondius is expected to dock in the Canary Islands this weekend, is in advanced talks with the UK to arrange a repatriation flight for British nationals still aboard. The ship is also carrying 19 passengers and three crew members from the UK, all of whom remain on board pending further medical assessments.

Contact tracing efforts are underway in multiple countries, including the UK, Switzerland, and the Netherlands, to identify and monitor individuals who may have been exposed to the virus before the outbreak was publicly confirmed. The WHO has stressed that while the situation is serious, the risk to the general public remains low, as the virus does not spread as easily as COVID-19.

The outbreak has prompted a coordinated international response, with health agencies in the US, Canada, and several European nations monitoring citizens who were on the ship or had returned home. As of now, no cases have been reported in the UK outside those directly linked to the cruise ship, but authorities are urging anyone with potential exposure to contact health services immediately.