Newsroom
In the ongoing story surrounding the cruise ship “MV Hondius,” where cases of Hantavirus have been reported, a Greek passenger has now been transferred to Athens and placed in precautionary quarantine, Greek authorities said Monday.
The passenger arrived in Greece overnight after being flown from the Netherlands aboard a special Greek Air Force flight.
According to officials, the man had first traveled aboard a Dutch aircraft to Eindhoven Airport before being transferred to Elefsina Air Base, west of Athens, where he landed at around 3:20 a.m.
Greek health authorities said the passenger is being treated as a precaution and is currently being held in a negative-pressure isolation chamber at Attikon University Hospital, where he is expected to remain under quarantine for 45 days.
The transfer operation involved a doctor, an EKAB emergency responder and the chairman of the scientific council of the National Public Health Organization of Greece accompanying the passenger during the flight.
Greek Health Minister Adonis Georgiadis sought to reassure the public, saying in a post on X that the man is fever-free, asymptomatic and showing no signs of illness.
“For precautionary reasons only, he has been transferred to Attikon Hospital in quarantine. There is absolutely no reason for concern,” the minister said.
The case is linked to the “MV Hondius,” an expedition cruise vessel that recently drew international attention after reported cases of Hantavirus among passengers.
Hantavirus is a rare but potentially serious viral disease usually transmitted to humans through contact with infected rodents or their droppings. Symptoms can initially resemble the flu, though severe cases can lead to respiratory complications. Health authorities have stressed that the virus does not spread easily between people in most known strains.
