Two Britons Self-Isolate After Leaving Virus-Hit Cruise Ship

Two British nationals are self-isolating in the United Kingdom after leaving the cruise ship at the center of a deadly hantavirus outbreak before the vessel was quarantined, UK health officials have confirmed.

The individuals had been aboard the Dutch-flagged cruise ship MV Hondius, which has been linked to multiple hantavirus infections and at least three deaths during a voyage that began in South America. According to the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), neither of the Britons is currently showing symptoms, but both were advised to isolate as a precaution after possible exposure to the virus.

Health authorities said several close contacts of the pair are also being monitored while officials continue tracing passengers and others who may have interacted with confirmed cases linked to the outbreak.

The MV Hondius remains under international scrutiny after a rare strain of hantavirus; believed to be the Andes variant capable of limited human-to-human transmission, was identified among passengers. The outbreak has already led to emergency medical evacuations and heightened health alerts across Europe.

Authorities believe the outbreak may have originated during a birdwatching excursion in Argentina, where a Dutch couple possibly came into contact with infected rodents before boarding the ship. Investigators are examining whether exposure occurred at a landfill site near Ushuaia.

The ship, carrying around 150 passengers and crew from more than 20 countries, is currently heading toward Spain’s Canary Islands after evacuating several critically ill patients to hospitals in the Netherlands.

Despite growing concern, UK and international health officials insist the risk to the general public remains low. The World Health Organization is monitoring the situation closely while countries coordinate passenger tracing, quarantine measures, and medical support.

Medical experts note that hantavirus is usually spread through exposure to infected rodent urine, saliva, or droppings, although the Andes strain is one of the few known variants capable of rare person-to-person transmission. Symptoms can include fever, muscle pain, breathing difficulties, and severe respiratory illness.