Camille Naredo

A person wearing a protective suit walks aboard the Dutch Hantavirus-hit cruise ship MV Hondius after arriving at the port of Rotterdam on May 18, 2026. Nicolas Tucat, AFP

A person wearing a protective suit walks aboard the Dutch Hantavirus-hit cruise ship MV Hondius after arriving at the port of Rotterdam on May 18, 2026. A cruise ship that sparked global alarm after a deadly outbreak of hantavirus docked in Rotterdam harbour on May 18, with the skeleton crew facing weeks of quarantine. (Photo by NICOLAS TUCAT / AFP)

Article (news)

MV Hondius

Darylle Sarmiento

ABS-CBN News

<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1779638933005AFP__20260518__B37P7NN__v1__MidRes__NetherlandsHealthHantavirus.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="A person wearing a protective suit walks aboard the Dutch Hantavirus-hit cruise ship MV Hondius after arriving at the port of Rotterdam on May 18, 2026. Nicolas Tucat, AFP" width="960"/>A person wearing a protective suit walks aboard the Dutch Hantavirus-hit cruise ship MV Hondius after arriving at the port of Rotterdam on May 18, 2026. Nicolas Tucat, AFP</div>MANILA -- All thirty-eight Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) aboard the hantavirus-stricken MV Hondius remain negative and asymptomatic for the virus, according to the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW). DMW Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac confirmed the development during a press briefing on Sunday evening, May 24. “I need to emphasize na bahagi nung nalaman namin nung nandun sila. Sila ay tested negative. Every day pala, may testing sa kanila. All of them have tested negative so far at walang symptomatic sa kanila,” Cacdac said. Cacdac said that 21 of the OFWs, all hotel workers, are currently undergoing quarantine in a hotel in Amsterdam.<a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/health-science/2026/5/19/doh-filipinos-in-hantavirus-hit-ship-won-t-need-another-quarantine-when-they-return-to-ph-1614"> </a><div><a class="fr-green" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/health-science/2026/5/19/doh-filipinos-in-hantavirus-hit-ship-won-t-need-another-quarantine-when-they-return-to-ph-1614">DOH: Filipinos in hantavirus-hit ship won&#x27;t need another quarantine when they return to PH</a> </div>The remaining 17 OFWs are quarantined at a port facility in Rotterdam, including 14 deck and engine crew members and three additional hotel workers. Of the 38 OFWs, 29 are male, while nine are female. The DMW secretary also met with Dutch government officials to discuss the condition and welfare of the quarantined Filipino workers. “Makausap yung mga Dutch Government counterparts natin, patungkol sa kwarantina patungkol sa monitoring ng well being ng mga OFW seafarers natin sa quarantina at patungkol din sa napipintong pag-uwi nila,” Cacdac added. The quarantined OFWs are expected to complete their 40-day quarantine period on June 18. Cacdac deferred to the Department of Health the decision on whether the OFWs would still be required to undergo quarantine again upon their return to the country.“We need to clarify this with Sec. Ted Herbosa and the DOH. Mayroon nang paunang tugon sila Sec. Ted dito. Rest assured, there will be ready protocols pag-uwi nila,” Cacdac said. The DOH is coordinating with the Dutch Ministry of Health to ensure that all health and quarantine protocols are aligned with Philippine health regulations. <div><a class="fr-green" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/health-science/2026/5/19/hantavirus-hit-cruise-ship-ends-deadly-voyage-0924">Hantavirus-hit cruise ship ends deadly voyage </a></div>Jerome Pampolina, DMW Assistant Secretary, said that although the OFWs are currently under quarantine, their salaries remain intact and they continue to be paid. “Yung mga salaries po nila 80% nun has been allotted directly to the beneficiaries dito sa Pilipinas. To simply answer the question, yes, they have been paid their monthly salaries,” Pampolina said. The MV Hondius is a polar expedition cruise line owned by Oceanwide Expeditions, a company specializing in Arctic and Antarctic voyages.The ship set off April 1 from Ushuaia, Argentina, taking in remote islands in the South Atlantic Ocean before heading north to Cape Verde, then Tenerife in Spain&#x27;s Canary Islands.The ship docked in Rotterdam harbour in the Netherlands on Monday, with the skeleton crew facing weeks of quarantine.Spread by rodents, hantavirus is a rare virus for which no vaccines or specific treatments exist. -- with a report from Agence France-Presse

All thirty-eight Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) aboard the hantavirus-stricken MV Hondius remain negative and asymptomatic for the virus, according to the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW).

All thirty-eight Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) aboard the hantavirus-stricken MV Hondius remain negative and asymptomatic for the virus, according to the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW).

38 OFWs aboard hantavirus-stricken ship test negative, remain asymptomatic -- DMW

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38 OFWs aboard hantavirus-stricken ship test negative, remain asymptomatic -- DMW

Darylle Sarmiento,

ABS-CBN News

Published May 25, 2026 12:11 AM PHT

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Updated May 25, 2026 01:32 AM PHT

Read More:

Hantavirus

OFW

DMW

MV Hondius

Department of Migrant Workers

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