British Doctor in Critical Condition After Evacuation from 'Rat Virus' Ship as Outbreak Reaches Europe

Published on May 06, 2026 at 12:54 PM
Estimated Read Time: 1 minute read

A SERIOUSLY ill British doctor evacuated from the rat-virus infected ship MV Hondius is in “stable condition”.

The 56-year-old crew member was evacuated from the MV Hondius alongside a Dutch colleague and a German passenger as the ship set sail for the Canary Islands.

Medical personnel in hazmat suits transferring a patient on a stretcher from an ambulance to an air ambulance at an airport.

Patients are medically evacuated from the cruise ship Credit: @DrTedros/X CAPE VERDE-HEALTH-TOURISM

An ambulance boat carrying crew members wearing hazmat suits approaches the infected MV Hondius Credit: AFP

The Spanish health minister confirmed the doctor’s condition had improved.

He is currently in a stable condition after being evacuated in critical condition fighting for his life.

A French patient who was not onboard the rat virus cruise liner has reportedly contracted hantavirus after taking a flight with an infected passenger.

It marks the first case of the deadly disease in a patient who was not on the MV Hondius, as hantavirus reaches Europe.

Illustration of a map showing the route of the MV Hondius cruise ship and key events related to a hantavirus outbreak from April 1 to May 6.

Eze Chidiebere Paul

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