An RIVM questionnaire survey shows that most Dutch people know that animals can transmit infectious diseases. However, people are unfamiliar with all the ways in which they can become infected. And they do not always know the measures which can protect them. For example, half of those surveyed do not wash their hands after contact with pets.

On 18 May 2026, at around 10.30 am, the cruise ship Hondius was moored at an enclosed part of the port of Rotterdam. 27 people are still on board the ship: crew members and medical personnel. On arrival in Rotterdam, these people will disembark in a phased and controlled manner. They will be accommodated in a special quarantine area in the port of Rotterdam. All measures taken are aimed at ensuring safe and controlled handling of the situation. The likelihood of the Andes virus spreading in the Netherlands is therefore still very low.