A portion of the 12 staff at Radboudumc in Nijmegen who were placed in quarantine over possible hantavirus exposure linked to a patient from the cruise ship MV Hondius were allowed to return to work on Thursday, while others must still remain in isolation under strict conditions. The hospital did not disclose how many employees are being released early.

The decision applies to workers who came into contact with urine from the infected patient after the hospital did not follow the required international protocol for handling biological material.

Some of the staff members may now resume work following updated national guidance issued by the GGD public health service and the RIVM National Institute for Public Health and the Environment after consultation with medical experts. Employees who drew blood from the patient or handled the processing of blood samples must still complete the full 42-day quarantine period.

The infected patient had been aboard the MV Hondius, where a hantavirus outbreak resulted in three deaths, including two Dutch nationals, and multiple severe cases requiring intensive care treatment. The outbreak occurred while the vessel was traveling in the Atlantic Ocean.

The quarantine decision was later revised after authorities issued updated national guidance, allowing some staff with urine exposure only to return to work earlier, while maintaining full quarantine for those with higher-risk blood contact.