The m/v Hondius vessel, operated by Oceanwide Expeditions, has been the scene of a health crisis that began approximately three weeks ago. The Spanish Government Delegation in the Canary Islands, through its Foreign Health Area, is coordinating necessary actions should the cruise ship, originally scheduled to end its journey in the islands, make a stopover in the archipelago.

The company has provided a timeline of events, which includes the death of a passenger on April 11, the cause of which could not be determined on board. Subsequently, on April 24, this passenger was disembarked in Saint Helena for repatriation. On April 27, the death of the first passenger's spouse was reported, although the connection of these two deaths to the current situation has not been confirmed.

On the same day, April 27, another British passenger fell seriously ill and was medically evacuated to South Africa, where a variant of hantavirus was diagnosed. This individual is currently in critical but stable condition in an intensive care unit in Johannesburg. On May 2, a third passenger, of German nationality, died on board from undetermined causes.

The vessel, with 149 people of 23 nationalities, including 13 Spanish passengers and one crew member, remains off the coast of Cape Verde. Cape Verdean authorities have visited the ship to assess the situation but have not yet authorized the disembarkation of patients or their transfer to local medical centers. The company is in contact with international organizations such as the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs to manage the crisis.

Options for potential medical repatriation are being evaluated, and sailing to Las Palmas or Tenerife as disembarkation points is being considered, where additional medical examinations and case management would be carried out. Strict precautionary measures, such as isolation, hygiene protocols, and medical monitoring, have been implemented on board to contain the spread of any illness.