Prime Minister Rob Jetten said the hantavirus outbreak on a Dutch cruise ship is “completely not comparable” to the Covid-19 pandemic six years ago. Speaking after the weekly council of ministers meeting, he emphasized that this is a well-known virus “for which we know how to control it.”

Health Minister Sophie Hermans has earlier stated that the risk of the virus spreading widely in the Netherlands is considered “very small.” Several passengers aboard the cruise ship Hondius have been infected, with three fatalities reported.

The vessel is currently sailing towards the Canary Islands, where arrangements are being prepared to evacuate passengers and bring them back to their home countries. The Cabinet emphasized that public health considerations are central to their response.

COVID-19 was triggered by a previously unknown coronavirus strain first identified in China. The pandemic continued for over two years, severely disrupting daily life and economies around the world, and resulted in more than 7 million deaths globally.

The comments come after authorities in Spain have reported that they are investigating a suspected hantavirus infection in Alicante involving a passenger who had been on the same KLM flight as the 69-year-old Dutch woman who later died from the virus.

During a press conference, Javier Padilla of Spain’s Health Ministry said the woman is showing symptoms that may be consistent with hantavirus, including coughing and what he described as “general malaise.”

The woman had been seated two rows behind the infected passenger from the m/v Hondius, although Padilla noted that the exposure was limited because the Dutch passenger had only been on the flight for a short period.

On April 25, the Dutch passenger who later died from hantavirus tried to travel from Johannesburg to Amsterdam but was removed from the flight after becoming too unwell to continue the journey. A crew member later reported symptoms as well, though tests ultimately came back negative for the virus. The woman later died in Johannesburg.

Hermans stated on Friday morning that all passengers of the KLM flight are being monitored. “Those people are known to the Municipal Health Service (GGD), contact has been made with them, and they are being monitored to see whether they develop symptoms.”

Health Minister Sophie Hermans said the top priority is to carefully monitor passengers returning from the ship for any symptoms or signs that symptoms may develop later. “And what measures can we then take to ensure they do not come into contact with other people?” Hermans said it is still too early to determine whether isolation measures will be required.

The Dutch National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM) said it aims to have a suitable reception plan ready “by Monday” for the ten Dutch passengers aboard the cruise ship. Since the vessel is expected to reach Tenerife this weekend, the agency says there is still sufficient time to complete the preparations.

“Of course, there is already a preliminary framework in place, but the plan is not yet finished,” said the RIVM spokesperson for infectious disease control. According to the organisation, “many factors” need to be taken into account. “We still have time for that. The passengers will arrive in the Canary Islands this weekend and will be received in the Netherlands no earlier than Monday.” Once the passengers are in the Netherlands, the RIVM will take charge. “We are assessing the situation and working very hard.”

The Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs is coordinating the repatriation of the passengers, but has not yet released details of the travel arrangements. The ministry said it will first brief those directly involved before making further information public.