The Dutch government announced on Friday that the hantavirus-hit cruise ship MV Hondius is expected to arrive at the Port of Rotterdam next Monday, with most crew members set to undergo a six-week quarantine in Rotterdam, the Netherlands.
Rotterdam has been designated in the Netherlands as the port for the handling of infectious diseases in shipping, according to a letter sent to parliament on Friday and signed by Sophie Hermans, Dutch minister of health, welfare and sport, and Tom Berendsen, the country's foreign minister.
According to Oceanwide Expeditions, the Dutch operator of the vessel, there are currently 27 people on board, including 25 crew members and two medical personnel. The group consists of 17 Filipinos, four Dutch nationals, four Ukrainians, one Russian, and one Polish national.
The ministers said that some crew members would enter home quarantine upon arrival, while those unable to return immediately to their home countries would be housed in designated quarantine facilities.
Regarding the vessel's 17 Filipino crew members, the Dutch National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM) recommended that they remain in the Netherlands for the entire six-week quarantine period.
The letter said that the RIVM's recommendation followed careful consultations with the World Health Organization (WHO) and is in line with WHO guidance.
The vessel will also undergo cleaning by a specialized external company in accordance with RIVM guidelines, which incorporate WHO recommendations and are being implemented in close cooperation with the Rotterdam municipal health service.
Personal protective measures are being taken to ensure that the cleaners do not need to quarantine after the cleaning, the letter said. According to the WHO, the cruise ship departed Ushuaia, Argentina, for Cape Verde on April 1. During the voyage, it experienced an outbreak of the Andes virus, a strain of the Hantavirus family.
Most crew members aboard MV Hondius to undergo quarantine in Rotterdam upon arrival
Iran remains open to serious negotiations but has no trust in the United States, which is the main obstacle in the way of any diplomatic effort, Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi said on Friday.
Tensions in the Middle East have escalated since the United States and Israel launched joint military strikes against Iran on Feb 28, triggering retaliation from Tehran against Israel as well as U.S. bases and assets in the Middle East, along with the closure of the Strait of Hormuz.
A ceasefire took effect on April 8 after 40 days of fighting through Pakistani mediation, but talks in Islamabad failed to produce a lasting agreement. The truce was later extended by U.S. President Donald Trump without a set deadline.
The mediation process by Pakistan has not failed but is in "difficulty," Araghchi said at a press conference on the conclusion of the BRICS Foreign Ministers Meeting in the Indian capital New Delhi.
Tehran is trying to keep the current fragile ceasefire to give diplomacy a chance, he added.
He stressed that there is no military solution to issues involving Iran, and that Tehran will never surrender to pressure or threats.
Noting the lack of trust is impeding negotiations, Araqchi said that "contradictory messages" from the U.S. side have made Tehran reluctant about the real intention of the Americans on negotiations.
Araqchi said Iran appreciates the efforts of any country that have the ability to help, particularly China, which brokered an agreement to restore diplomatic relations between Iran and Saudi Arabia in 2023.
Iran has very good relations with China, the two countries are strategic partners, and Tehran knows that the Chinese have good intentions, so anything they can do to help diplomacy would be welcomed, Araqchi said.
On the nuclear issue, Araqchi reiterated that Iran has never sought to develop nuclear weapons, and its nuclear program is peaceful.
As for the Strait of Hormuz, Araghchi said the strait is open and all vessels can pass except the vessels of those countries that are at war with Iran, if they coordinate with the Iranian Navy.
Araghchi blamed the U.S. for an "illegal blockade" and for its aggression that has created insecurity in the region, pledging efforts to ensure that there will be a good administration in the Strait of Hormuz after the war ends, which guarantees the safe passage of all vessels.
Iran has interest in negotiations but no trust in US: Araghchi
