Hantavirus Outbreak: 12 Hospital Staff in Netherlands Quarantined After Handling Patient Without Strict PPE Measures

Twelve healthcare workers at a Dutch hospital have been placed in preventive quarantine after they potentially exposed themselves to hantavirus while treating a patient evacuated from the cruise ship MV Hondius. Hospital officials said the employees failed to follow strict protective protocols when handling the patient’s blood and urine.

Radboud University Medical Centre confirmed on Monday, May 12, that the staff members would remain in quarantine for six weeks as a precaution, despite authorities describing the likelihood of infection as low. Hantavirus Explained: Early Symptoms, How It Spreads and Why Doctors Warn It Can Turn Fatal Quickly.

12 Hospital Staff in Netherlands Quarantined: PPE Procedures Not Fully Followed

The infected patient has been receiving treatment at the medical centre since Wednesday after being medically evacuated from the Dutch-flagged vessel, which has been linked to a recent hantavirus outbreak.

According to the hospital, blood samples from the patient were initially processed under standard laboratory safety measures rather than stricter procedures required for hantavirus cases. Hantavirus Outbreak on Cruise Ship: 2 Passengers, French and American, Test Positive for virus After Cruise Ship MV Hondius Evacuation.

“Due to the nature of the virus, this blood should have been processed according to a stricter procedure,” a hospital spokesperson said Monday. The hospital also acknowledged that updated international guidelines were not followed during the disposal of the patient’s urine.

“In addition, it became clear on Saturday, May 9, that the most up-to-date international regulations had not been followed during the disposal of the patient's urine.”

Staff Enter Preventive Quarantine

Hospital officials said the affected employees will receive support during the six-week isolation period. The institution stressed that the broader public faces minimal risk from the incident.

“Despite the fact that the chance of actual infection is very small, these measures have a significant impact on all those involved. We regret that this has happened at our university medical centre," said Dr. Bertine Lahuis, chair of the hospital board.

She added that the hospital would conduct a detailed investigation “to learn from this and to prevent it from happening in the future.” The comments came only days after the medical centre publicly stated that containment measures surrounding the hantavirus patient were under control.

“At the ward where the patient is admitted, appropriate isolation measures have been taken to prevent spread, in accordance with internationally agreed protocols,” a spokesperson had said earlier. “The team is specialised and trained in the care of patients with severe infectious diseases.”

Cruise Ship Outbreak Under Investigation

The patient at Radboudumc was among three people medically evacuated from the MV Hondius while it was docked off the coast of Cape Verde last week.

Another patient was transferred to Leiden University Medical Centre, while a third evacuee was taken to a hospital in Germany and later tested negative for hantavirus.

Three people have died following the outbreak aboard the vessel, which carried 147 passengers and crew members. Authorities identified two of the victims as a man and woman from Friesland in the Netherlands, while the third victim was reported to be a German woman.

The remaining passengers aboard the Dutch-flagged ship were finally allowed to disembark on Monday after spending weeks at sea amid the health emergency.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on May 12, 2026 07:38 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).