Canada confirms first hantavirus case on cruise ship MV Hondius
Synopsis
Canada's first confirmed hantavirus case is tied to a polar expedition cruise ship that has already recorded three deaths. With 27 people still on board, a six-week quarantine planned in Rotterdam, and an incubation window of up to eight weeks still open, the outbreak is far from over — and the contact-tracing net spans multiple nationalities and ports.
Key Takeaways
The Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) confirmed a hantavirus case in a cruise passenger isolating in British Columbia on 17 May 2025 .
The outbreak is linked to the polar expedition ship MV Hondius , which has recorded three deaths so far.
A travelling companion of the confirmed case tested negative ; no additional cases have been identified.
All high-risk contacts are isolating; PHAC assessed the overall risk to the general Canadian public as low .
27 people remain on board — including crew from the Philippines, Netherlands, Ukraine, Russia , and Poland .
The MV Hondius is expected at the Port of Rotterdam next Monday, with most crew facing a six-week quarantine .
The Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) has confirmed a case of hantavirus in a cruise passenger currently isolating in British Columbia, following laboratory testing at the agency's National Microbiology Laboratory (NML) in Winnipeg. The confirmation came on Saturday, 17 May, linking the infection to the polar expedition cruise ship MV Hondius, which has recorded three deaths in connection with the outbreak.
How the Diagnosis Was Confirmed
Samples from British Columbia were dispatched to the NML in Winnipeg for confirmatory testing, PHAC said in a statement on Sunday, 18 May. One individual tested positive; a second person — a travelling companion of the confirmed case — was confirmed negative. No additional cases have been identified as of the agency's latest update.
PHAC noted that all high-risk contacts are currently isolating and will remain under close monitoring by local public health authorities. The agency assessed the overall risk to the general Canadian population as low at this time.
The MV Hondius Outbreak
The hantavirus cases are linked to the MV Hondius, a polar expedition vessel operated by Dutch company Oceanwide Expeditions. The outbreak has resulted in three deaths so far. The incubation period for hantavirus generally ranges from one to eight weeks, meaning surveillance windows remain open for those exposed aboard the ship.
According to Oceanwide Expeditions, 27 people remain on board — 25 crew members and two medical personnel. The group includes 17 Filipinos, four Dutch nationals, four Ukrainians, one Russian, and one Polish national.
What British Columbia's Health Officer Said
Provincial health officer Dr Bonnie Henry said the confirmed patient began developing mild symptoms — including fever and headache — approximately two days before the presumptive positive result was returned on Friday. The patient was taken to a local hospital and is currently being treated in isolation.
Ship to Dock in Rotterdam; Crew Quarantine Planned
The Dutch government announced that the MV Hondius is expected to arrive at the Port of Rotterdam the following Monday, with most crew members set to undergo a six-week quarantine in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. In a letter to parliament signed by Sophie Hermans, Dutch Minister of Health, Welfare and Sport, and Tom Berendsen, the country's Foreign Minister, Rotterdam was designated as the Netherlands' designated port for handling infectious disease cases in shipping.
As health authorities in Canada and the Netherlands coordinate their response, the focus now shifts to contact tracing among passengers and crew who disembarked at earlier ports of call during the voyage.
Point of View
Which limits secondary spread risk; but the eight-week incubation window means passengers who disembarked at earlier stops may not yet be symptomatic, and contact tracing across international itineraries is notoriously incomplete. The 'low risk to the general population' assessment is likely accurate — but it should not obscure the need for a clearer protocol on who bears responsibility when a foreign-flagged vessel becomes an outbreak site in Canadian waters.
NationPress
4 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is hantavirus and how is it transmitted?
Hantavirus is a viral illness typically transmitted to humans through contact with infected rodents or their droppings, urine, or saliva — not through person-to-person contact. The incubation period generally ranges from one to eight weeks, and severe cases can progress to hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, which carries a high fatality rate.
How many people have died in the MV Hondius hantavirus outbreak?
Three deaths have been recorded in connection with the hantavirus outbreak aboard the polar expedition cruise ship MV Hondius, according to PHAC. The confirmed Canadian case is currently being treated in isolation in British Columbia.
Is the risk of hantavirus spread to the general public in Canada high?
PHAC has assessed the overall risk to the general Canadian population as low at this time. All high-risk contacts have been identified and are isolating under monitoring by local public health authorities, and no additional cases have been confirmed beyond the one announced on 17 May.
What will happen to the MV Hondius crew?
The MV Hondius is expected to arrive at the Port of Rotterdam in the Netherlands the following Monday. Most crew members — 25 in total, representing five nationalities — are set to undergo a six-week quarantine in Rotterdam, which the Dutch government has designated as its national port for handling infectious disease cases in shipping.
Who confirmed the hantavirus case in Canada?
The Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) confirmed the case on Saturday, 17 May, after samples from British Columbia were sent to its National Microbiology Laboratory in Winnipeg for testing. Provincial health officer Dr Bonnie Henry also provided details on the patient's symptoms and isolation status.
