By Marita Moaje
MANILA – Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac said the 38 Filipino crew members aboard MV Hondius will undergo a 42-day quarantine in the Netherlands after cases of hantavirus that killed three passengers of the Dutch-operated cruise ship.
In a joint virtual media briefing together with Department of Health (DOH) Secretary Ted Herbosa and Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Undersecretary Ezzedin Tago Sunday night, Cacdac said the Filipino seafarers already tested negative for hantavirus but will still have to undergo quarantine period as part of protocols.
He said MV Hondius has 38 Filipino crew, of which 24 are stewards or hotel workers, while 14 are deck and engine staff.
“Right now, the ship, as we understand, is anchored in the Tenerife port. Tenerife, Canary Islands, I think it’s the port of Granadilla. And then they will be disembarked. For today, there will be four disembarked and transported to the airport and flown to the Netherlands for quarantine,” Cacdac said.
“Tomorrow, another 20 will be flown, that’s a total of 24. The balance of 14 seafarers, kasi (because) 38 total, will be sailing toward Rotterdam. Will be bringing the ship, navigating the ship to Rotterdam, Netherlands,” he added.
Cacdac said that once Filipino seafarers arrive at the port of Rotterdam, they will begin their quarantine period and, if they remain symptom-free after six weeks, they will be flown home to the Philippines.
He said two foreign passengers of the cruise ship were reportedly infected with hantavirus following a birdwatching trip in South America before boarding the vessel.
“As of now, negative sila (the Filipinos are tested negative). We’ll just watch them for 42 days in the Netherlands,” Herbosa said.
Cacdac also assured the families of the seafarers that they will continue to receive salaries and benefits while the crew remains under quarantine.
“Yes, we’ve talked to them. Yes, they’re all in good condition and they assured us that they tested negative for the virus,” he said.
Herbosa said the Philippines has never recorded a hantavirus case and stressed that the disease does not spread as easily as Covid-19.
He said hantavirus is a rare disease not found in the Philippines and is usually linked to exposure to rodents, particularly their urine, feces or body fluids.
The disease’s Andes variant, circulating in South America, can also spread through very close human contact, unlike the African variant, which mainly requires exposure to rodents, he added.
Herbosa noted that hantavirus has a high mortality rate of around 30 to 50 percent, primarily attacking the lungs, causing severe pneumonia and respiratory complications.
He said there is currently no specific antiviral treatment or vaccine for hantavirus.
Quarantine is necessary because hantavirus may incubate for up to 45 days.
“If they (Filipino crew) do not exhibit any symptoms, that means they will be determined to be disease-free, and the risk of having the hantavirus is very low,” he said.
Cruise ship health protocols
In the wake of the incident, Cacdac said the DMW would review existing health and safety measures for Filipino seafarers assigned to cruise ships.
He said that currently, working and living conditions on board ships are always governed by international standards, as well as guidelines set by the World Health Organization.
However, Cacdac said the Maritime Industry Tripartite Council will still convene to discuss the MV Hondius case and possible additional protective measures.
“Of course, we will invite DOH and the DFA to that meeting. So definitely we will take up the Hondius case in our subcommittee Maritime Industry Tripartite Council meetin, and how, among others, we could improve our standards of protection for our seafarers,” Cacdac said.
Herbosa said the government is not recommending mandatory hantavirus screening for overseas Filipino workers because the virus remains rare and non-endemic in the Philippines.
Tago said Philippine diplomats in the Netherlands would continue monitoring the condition of the Filipino crew throughout the quarantine period. (PNA)
