Reported hantavirus protocol breach at hospital forces 12 employees into 6-week quarantine
Three deaths have been reported among 11 cases linked to the MV Hondius cruise ship outbreak, WHO says
By Bonny Chu Fox News
Published May 13, 2026 6:49pm EDT
A Dutch hospital has quarantined a dozen staff members following reports of a protocol breach involving a patient infected with hantavirus, hospital officials said Monday.
The breach occurred last week at Radboud University Medical Center in Nijmegen, Netherlands, after the facility admitted a patient tied to a rare and deadly hantavirus outbreak aboard the MV Hondius luxury cruise ship.
The hospital said the patient’s blood and urine were not processed and disposed of using the strictest international protocols required for handling the specific hantavirus strain.
"Because of these circumstances, 12 employees will go in preventive quarantine for six weeks as a precaution, despite the fact that the chance of infection is small," the hospital said.
According to the hospital, when the patient was admitted on May 7, their blood was processed according to standard procedures but should have been handled under stricter protocols required for the nature of the virus.
Staff also realized on Saturday that the most up-to-date international regulations for disposing of a hantavirus patient’s urine had not been followed. Instead, they had adhered to what was considered standard procedure.
Dutch Health Minister Sophie Hermans addressed the incident in Parliament on Tuesday, reassuring officials that the protocols that were followed were still considered strict.
"At Radboud Hospital in Nijmegen, strict procedures have been followed, but not the strictest procedures applicable in the case of this hantavirus," she said.
Hospital executives said they regretted what happened in a statement Monday, adding that they remain committed to providing care for any new hantavirus patients who may arrive.
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