Twenty-four of the thirty-eight Filipino crew members aboard the MV Hondius, affected by a hantavirus outbreak, will disembark in Spain and subsequently fly to the Netherlands for a 42-day quarantine. Philippine authorities announced that four crew members will leave on May 10 at the Canary Islands, while the remaining twenty will follow on May 11. These crew members hold stewardship roles on the ship, and after disembarking, they will board a repatriation flight to the Netherlands.
The fourteen crew members still on board, assigned to deck and engine duties, will navigate the MV Hondius to Rotterdam, where they will also undergo quarantine. The Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) is preparing for their eventual return to the Philippines after necessary testing in the Netherlands. Health Secretary Teodoro Herbosa confirmed that no additional tests will be required once the crew members complete their quarantine.
The MV Hondius arrived at Tenerife on May 6, where all symptomatic patients received medical assistance. As of May 7, the remaining passengers and crew were declared asymptomatic. DMW Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac reported a virtual meeting with the crew, who tested negative for the virus and expressed that they felt safe on board. The World Health Organization has stated that the hantavirus outbreak poses a low risk of a pandemic, emphasizing that it is not comparable to COVID-19.
