News

The situation with regard to the MV Hondius is an evolving situation which is being monitored closely by the HSE National Health Protection Office and the Department of Health working with international partners including ECDC and WHO.

There have been reports of a cluster of cases of illness, including three deaths, among passengers and crew on board the cruise ship MV Hondius. Five cases of hantavirus infection have been laboratory confirmed and other possible cases are being assessed. At this time, there is no information to indicate that Irish citizens on board have been affected.

The ship will proceed to the Canary Islands with onboard medical support, followed by medical assessment on arrival to inform decisions on repatriation.

The risk to Ireland is considered very low.

Updated information on hantavirus is available on the HPSC website: https://www.hpsc.ie/a-z/zoonotic/hantavirus/factsheets/ and on the ECDC website: Hantavirus infection