The MV Hondius, a Dutch-flagged polar expedition ship, departed from Spain’s Tenerife island earlier this week and is now sailing toward Rotterdam in the Netherlands, where it is expected to arrive around 17 May. Authorities say the vessel will undergo extensive sanitation procedures upon arrival, though exact protocols are still being finalized.
The cruise ship has become the center of international attention after multiple passengers developed symptoms linked to the rare Andes strain of hantavirus — a dangerous disease typically carried by rodents. While most hantavirus infections are spread through contact with infected rodents or their droppings, experts warn the Andes strain is one of the few known versions capable of human-to-human transmission.
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