MANILA — Thirty-eight Filipino seafarers are now caught in a high-stakes health drama after a rare and lethal hantavirus outbreak killed three passengers aboard the Dutch-operated cruise ship MV Hondius.
Although all 38 tested negative for the virus, Dutch authorities are forcing them into a strict 42-day quarantine in the Netherlands as a precaution, officials confirmed Sunday night.
Department of Migrant Workers Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac revealed the crew is being split into two groups. Four will fly out immediately from Tenerife in the Canary Islands, followed by 20 more on Monday — a total of 24 stewards, hotel workers, and support staff. The remaining 14 deck and engine personnel will sail the vessel themselves all the way to Rotterdam, where they too will begin quarantine.
Once in the Netherlands, the crew will be closely monitored for six weeks. If they remain symptom-free, they will finally be flown home to the Philippines.
Two foreign passengers contracted the Andes variant of hantavirus after a birdwatching trip in South America before boarding the ship. Health Secretary Ted Herbosa stressed that the Filipinos remain in good condition and negative for the virus, but the lengthy quarantine is mandatory because hantavirus can incubate for up to 45 days.
The disease, which primarily attacks the lungs and causes severe respiratory failure, carries a terrifying 30 to 50 percent mortality rate. There is no vaccine and no specific antiviral treatment. Unlike COVID-19, it does not spread easily, but the Andes variant can transmit through very close human contact.
Cacdac assured worried families that the seafarers will continue receiving full salaries and benefits throughout the ordeal.
The Philippines has never recorded a single hantavirus case, and officials say the virus is not endemic here. It is typically linked to exposure to rodent droppings, urine, or saliva.
In response to the incident, the DMW will convene an emergency meeting with the Department of Health and Department of Foreign Affairs to review health protocols for Filipino seafarers on cruise ships and explore stronger protective measures for the future.
Philippine diplomats in the Netherlands will monitor the crew’s condition daily until they are cleared to return home.
