Twelve workers at Radboudumc university medical center in Nijmegen have been placed in preventive quarantine after failing to follow strict protocols while treating a hantavirus patient.
The patient, evacuated from the MV Hondius cruise ship on May 7, had blood taken using standard procedures instead of the required stricter method. The hospital also admitted that international regulations were not followed when disposing of the patient's urine.
Despite the low infection risk, staff will remain quarantined for six weeks. The patient is also isolated.
Radboudumc Executive Board Chair Bertine Lahuis expressed regret and pledged a full investigation.
The MV Hondius began its return to the Netherlands on Tuesday after completing a large-scale evacuation. The final 28 evacuees flew from Tenerife to Eindhoven, including crew members from the Philippines, the Netherlands, Germany, and a British doctor.
At least seven evacuees have tested positive for hantavirus, with one probable case, according to the WHO. Three people have died from the rare rodent-borne virus, sparking a global health scare. No vaccines or specific treatments exist, but officials say the public risk is low.
The ship is expected to dock in Rotterdam for disinfection.