Spain Approves Docking of Hantavirus-Affected Cruise Ship in Canary Islands Amid Regional Opposition

The president of the Canary Islands opposed Spain's decision to allow the MV Hondius cruise ship, hit by a hantavirus outbreak, to dock in the archipelago, Newsweek reported. The Dutch-flagged vessel had been due to arrive on the island of Tenerife but remained off the coast of Cape Verde as of May 5, 2026.

Authorities in Cape Verde refused permission for the ship to dock, citing fears of spreading the virus to the local population.

Fernando Clavijo, the president of the Canary Islands, requested an urgent meeting with Spain's prime minister Pedro Sánchez to discuss the decision. He made the statement to radio station COPE. The World Health Organization reported seven cases of hantavirus identified among those on board the MV Hondius, including two confirmed infections and five suspected cases.

Three people have died in connection with the hantavirus outbreak on the ship. A German national on board died on May 2, 2026, though the cause of death has not yet been established. A Dutch woman died while being repatriated back to the Netherlands after her husband passed away on board the MV Hondius on April 11, 2026.

The Dutch woman was confirmed to have contracted hantavirus. The cause of her husband's illness and death has not been established. Two seriously ill crew members on the MV Hondius are set to be evacuated from Cape Verde to the Netherlands, according to the ship's operator Oceanwide Expeditions.

Oceanwide Expeditions made the statement about the evacuation on Tuesday.