The Dutch government has revealed that the MV Hondius cruise ship, affected by the hantavirus, will reach the Port of Rotterdam next Monday. Most of the crew members, totaling 27 individuals including 25 crew members and two medical staff, will undergo a six-week quarantine in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. Rotterdam has been designated as the port for handling infectious diseases in shipping, as stated in a letter to parliament signed by Sophie Hermans, Dutch minister of health, welfare and sport, and Tom Berendsen, the foreign minister.
According to Oceanwide Expeditions, the operator of the vessel, the crew makeup includes 17 Filipinos, four Dutch nationals, four Ukrainians, one Russian, and one Polish national. Upon arrival, some crew members will go into home quarantine, while those unable to return to their home countries immediately will be accommodated in designated quarantine facilities, as per reports from Xinhua news agency. The Dutch National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM) recommended that the 17 Filipino crew members remain in the Netherlands for the entire six-week quarantine period due to limited quarantine enforcement and medical care access in their home country.
The recommendation from RIVM, following consultations with the World Health Organization (WHO), aligns with WHO guidelines. The vessel will undergo cleaning by a specialized external company following RIVM guidelines, which incorporate WHO recommendations and are closely coordinated with the Rotterdam municipal health service. Personal protective measures are being implemented to ensure that the cleaners do not require quarantine post-cleaning.
