NewsWorld newsMV HondiusMV Hondius sparked a global health crisis earlier this month after 13 confirmed cases of hantavirus were linked to the cruise outbreak with three deaths, but the ship is set to sail again in a matter of weeks00:18, 31 May 2026The cruise ship at the centre of a deadly outbreak of hantavirus has been cleared to sail again, Oceanwide Expeditions has confirmed.‌MV Hondius sparked a global health crisis earlier this month after passengers fell ill from the disease. In total there have been 13 confirmed cases linked to the outbreak with three deaths. Hantavirus is a rare virus spread by rodents for which no vaccines or specific treatments exist, the virus can lurk in the body for up to eight weeks.‌But now, following a deep clean and disinfection the ship is ready to sail again with the Dutch public health agency declaring there are 'no longer any obstacles to putting the Hondius back to sea'.‌The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) ordered the 22 Brit passengers on board to stay at Arrowe Park Hospital on the Wirral, in Merseyside for tests - they entered quarantine on May 10.‌Six people were allowed to leave the hospital to complete their isolation at home on May 13 but the other 16 passengers remain at the hospital.Just over nine weeks after the first passenger fell ill onboard on April 6, the ship is expected to sail again.The latest update from Oceanwide Expeditions reads: "The planned departure of m/v Hondius from the port of Rotterdam to Vlissingen has been delayed following advice from GGD Rotterdam for additional cleaning procedures.Article continues below"The remaining crew members from the original voyage were escorted to quarantine facilities on Saturday evening. Captain Jan Dobrogowski was transported to Poland via specialized transport. Where appropriate, Dutch crew members have returned to their homes for home quarantine as per established protocols."GGD Rotterdam, in cooperation with Oceanwide Expeditions, wants to ensure that the vessel is ready to be safely returned to service. Based on their inspection findings, GGD has advised additional cleaning. Following completion of this work, GGD will conduct a final inspection before the vessel can depart from Rotterdam."We will communicate the expected timeline for these procedures as soon as this becomes clear. At this stage, all voyages from 13 June onwards will proceed as scheduled. No further disruption to the sailing schedule of m/v Hondius is expected."Choose Daily Mirror as a 'Preferred Source' on Google News for quick access to the news you value.‌MV Hondius