French authorities are closely monitoring the situation on the MV Hondius cruise ship, due to several cases of Hantavirus infection on board, in close coordination with Spanish and Dutch authorities, as well as the European Union, under the auspices of the WHO.
The Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Health are working closely together to prepare for the return to France of the five French nationals on board.
In accordance with a protocol proposed by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), the ship is scheduled to arrive and anchor off Tenerife (Canary Islands) this morning.
Spanish health authorities will then facilitate the disembarkation of the passengers, followed by their evacuation via medical flights to their respective countries.
The Crisis and Support Centre (CDCS) of the Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs is coordinating with the Spanish authorities to ensure the evacuation to France of the five French nationals by medical flight today, in accordance with current health protocols and WHO recommendations.
It is also in regular contact with the French citizens concerned to provide them with any medical and psychological assistance they may require.
Upon their arrival in France, the Ministry of Health will take over. The Regional Health Agency (ARS) of Île-de-France will organize the reception of the French nationals.
As the WHO considers all passengers to be high-risk contacts, the five French passengers will be quarantined in the hospital for 72 hours for a full assessment before being sent home for 45 days of isolation, with appropriate monitoring in place.
The Regional Health Agencies (ARS) will monitor exposed but asymptomatic individuals in their respective regions of residence. This monitoring will include initial contact, regular follow-up for six weeks—corresponding to the maximum theoretical incubation period—and the provision of appropriate health recommendations.
Public Health France has developed recommendations tailored to the level of exposure risk. The procedures to be followed by people repatriated to France were the subject of a health alert sent to the Regional Health Agencies (ARS) on May 8, 2026. This document also specifies the case definition and the management measures for suspected cases and contacts.
If symptoms appear in a monitored individual, they will be immediately reclassified as a suspected case and integrated into the secure "Epidemic and Biological Risks" (REB) pathway. This procedure involves a specialized assessment, followed by secure care in a designated healthcare facility, allowing for hospital isolation, clinical monitoring, diagnostic testing, and the implementation of appropriate preventive measures.
At this stage, no confirmed cases have been reported in France.
Several contact tracing operations have been undertaken as a preventative measure to identify all potential contacts on international flights.
Regarding the flight of April 25, 2026, between Saint Helena and Johannesburg, eight French nationals who were not on the cruise were identified as contacts of a confirmed case.
Following the onset of mild symptoms in one of these individuals, isolation measures were implemented.
An initial round of diagnostic tests was carried out, and all results were negative as of May 8, 2026.
The other identified individuals were contacted individually by the Regional Health Agencies (ARS) and offered temporary isolation measures and access to testing.
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