A Spanish Coast Guard vessel operates next to hantavirus-hit cruise ship MV Hondius at the port of Granadilla de Abona, in Tenerife, Spain, on Sunday, May 10, 2026. [REUTERS/Hannah McKay]
Health authorities are preparing for the repatriation of the sole Greek national on a luxury cruise ship hit by a potentially fatal virus outbreak in the Atlantic Ocean, officials said Sunday.
The Netherlands-flagged MV Hondius with more than 140 people on board arrived off Tenerife in the Canary Islands Sunday and an operation to ferry its passengers to land ensued. Three people have died since the hantavirus outbreak, which is caused by contact with rodent droppings and cannot be easily transmitted among humans.
Deputy Health Minister Marios Themistocleous said that public health authorities are coordinating with Netherlands officials on the Greek passenger’s repatriation. The Greek is expected to travel with a group of mostly Dutch passengers to The Netherlands.
Themistocleous did not say when the Greek national was expected back and whether they would be placed in quarantine in hospital or at home.
The World Health Organization has recommended a 42-day quarantine period stating Sunday for MV Hondius passengers.