MANILA — Philippine authorities said Thursday that all 38 Filipino crew members aboard the cruise ship MV Hondius have tested negative for hantavirus, even as an outbreak on the vessel has claimed the lives of three passengers since the ship departed Argentina roughly a month ago.
Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac told reporters at Ninoy Aquino International Airport’s Terminal 1 that the Filipino seafarers remain under close government monitoring as the ship, last reported near the Canary Islands, was permitted to dock at the Spanish archipelago.
“All 38 Filipino crew have reportedly not been afflicted,” Cacdac said. “They were not affected by the hantavirus. However, we continue to monitor their situation.”
The outbreak has primarily struck passengers aboard the vessel. Three have died, and an unspecified number have been evacuated and hospitalized. The World Health Organization has cautioned that some victims may have contracted the virus before boarding and that human-to-human transmission aboard the ship cannot be ruled out.
Cacdac said the Philippine government — acting under a directive from President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. — is coordinating with international health authorities, including the WHO, through the DMW, the Department of Foreign Affairs, and the Department of Health (DOH). Officials said the DMW and DOH are maintaining direct lines of communication with the seafarers through the ship’s manning agency and owner, and that support is being extended to the families of the 38 crew members.
While some crew members have expressed a desire to return home, Cacdac said repatriation would hinge on satisfying international medical clearance requirements.
“Their safe repatriation is also being worked on, but we just need to be a little more patient as this is a global concern,” he said. “We need to abide by global medical authorities and global medical clearances, processes for medical clearances, and protocols.”
Hantavirus is a rare but potentially fatal disease typically transmitted to humans through contact with infected rodents or their droppings. Outbreaks aboard enclosed vessels raise particular concern due to the difficulty of containment in shared spaces.
Philippine health and labor officials said they would continue to provide updates as the situation develops.
