Netherlands to receive experimental drug against hantavirus

The Netherlands will receive a shipment of an experimental drug against hantavirus amid concerns over a possible rise in infections, according to the Dutch outlet Hart van Nederland.

The medication, Favipiravir, was developed by Fujifilm Pharmaceuticals. The manufacturer will provide the drug free of charge to several European countries.

In addition to the Netherlands, Spain and France will also receive supplies of the medication. The shipment consists of 1,400 tablets.

The hantavirus outbreak first came to light in April aboard the MV Hondius after health officials detected a cluster of serious infections among passengers travelling on the Dutch-flagged cruise vessel in the South Atlantic.

Concerns intensified when several passengers began showing respiratory symptoms linked to the Andes strain of hantavirus, a rare form of the virus known for its limited potential to spread between humans during prolonged close contact. According to European health authorities, the outbreak resulted in multiple confirmed infections and at least three fatalities, triggering large-scale quarantine, evacuation, and international response measures.

The ship had been carrying passengers representing more than 20 nationalities when the first suspected cases emerged, prompting extensive monitoring and repatriation efforts coordinated by European and global public health agencies.

Officials stressed that hantavirus is primarily transmitted through contact with infected rodents, though investigators believe the enclosed conditions aboard the vessel may have facilitated limited onboard transmission before containment protocols were enforced.

Despite the seriousness of the outbreak onboard the cruise ship, international health organisations, including the ECDC and WHO, have repeatedly maintained that the wider public risk remains low due to strict isolation measures, comprehensive contact tracing, and extended monitoring of exposed passengers.

By Jeyhun Aghazada