The Indian Council of Medical Research has activated the Viral Shield protocol to make sure the Andes strain doesn’t breach the country’s borders. Here is how their measures can protect the people from the deadly infection that spread among the MV Hondius.
As a Dutch-flagged luxury vessel MV Hondius remains under international scrutiny following a lethal outbreak of the Andes virus in the Atlantic, the Indian medical establishment has transitioned from a stance of cautious observation to one of biosurveillance. With two Indian nationals identified among the passengers of the Hantavirus-hit cruise, the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has mobilised its formidable “Viral Shield”, a sophisticated network of 165 specialised laboratories, to ensure that this rare pathogen does not breach the country’s borders. As of 10th May, 2026 the The Indian Embassy in Spain has confirmed the evacuation of two Indian nationals aboard the MV Hondius, a Dutch cruise ship, to the Netherlands for quarantine.
The embassy stated that the two crew members are healthy and asymptomatic, and they have been evacuated under health safety protocols. The embassy is closely monitoring the situation to ensure the well-being and safety of the Indian nationals.
The global medical community has historically viewed hantavirus as a localised threat, typically confined to rural rodent-human interactions. However, the current situation involves the Andes strain, which carries a chilling distinction: it is one of the few hantaviruses capable of rare but documented human-to-human transmission. This specific biological trait has prompted India to position itself not merely as a passive observer but as a global leader in proactive pathogen tracking.
The message from the ICMR is clear: India is no longer waiting for the virus to arrive; it is meeting the threat at the door with a localised, data-driven, and scientifically rigorous shield. As per the latest ICMR-NIV protocols, there are currently no confirmed cases of Hantavirus within the Indian community. The monitoring of the two nationals is a standard precautionary measure under the Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme (IDSP).
https://www.ndtv.com/health/hantavirus-surveillance-viral-shield-activated-with-165-labs-to-monitor-2-cruise-ship-nationals-11475700