It seems that whirlwind experience of the last few weeks that engulfed the MV Hondius surrounding the hantavirus outbreak onboard is over as it arrived in Rotterdam on Monday to be 'properly cleaned.'
The Hondius arrived in Rotterdam on Monday morning after leaving the Canary Islands on the 11th of May.
'Rotterdam port harbour master René de Vries said 25 mobile homes kitted out with catering and satellite communications would be available for the crew to self-isolate in,'according to the BBC.
De Vries said the port received a request from the ship to dock 10 days ago and, after talking to the regional health service, agreed the ship which sails under a Dutch flag would be allowed to dock.
Now the ship is moored, "[it] will be properly cleaned and then she can leave again," he added.
'Director of GGD Rotterdam-Rijnmond, Yvonnes van Duijnhoven, said the ship's doctor and nurse had collected samples aboard. These will be tested on the ship's arrival and further tests will be carried out on Monday afternoon to check if the crew have hantavirus,'according to the BBC.
Occupants were wearing masks on the deck as the ship was escorted through the port by a tug boat and a Dutch police boat, an Associated Press journalist witnessed,according to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.
'Luckily so far the crew has suffered no symptoms,' van Duijnhoven, the Director of Public Health in Rotterdam told The Associated Press.
'We have very strict protocols to prevent virus going from the ship towards the outside world,' she said.
'After everyone on board has disembarked, the ship will be decontaminated based on Dutch public health guidelines, a process that will take about three days,' according to van Duijnhoven andthe Australian Broadcasting Corporation.
Source: International Business Times UK
