The luxury cruise ship MV Hondius, infected with the Hantavirus, arrived near the Spanish island of Tenerife on Sunday morning. The ship has docked near the port of Granadilla, where passengers and crew will be evacuated. This step was taken after an outbreak of Hantavirus on the ship. Three people have died so far due to the infection. Eight people have been sickened on the ship. The deceased include a Dutch couple and a German citizen.
Spanish authorities have stated that no passengers have currently shown symptoms of infection. However, as a precautionary measure, all passengers on the ship have been considered high-risk contacts. The European Health Agency has issued a similar warning. There are 149 people from 23 countries on board the ship.
After checking, passengers will go to the airport
Passengers will be brought ashore by small boats. Health officials will then test them to determine if anyone is infected. After the tests, passengers will be transported in closed buses to Tenerife Airport, where they will depart for their respective countries.
According to officials, Spanish citizens will be disembarked first. Passengers from other countries will then be evacuated in separate groups. Approximately 30 crew members will remain on board. The ship will later be taken to the Netherlands, where it will be thoroughly cleaned and disinfected.
WHO asked Spain for help
The ship departed from Cape Verde on Wednesday for Spain. Cape Verde, an African island nation, had not allowed the passengers to disembark. The World Health Organization (WHO) and the European Union had requested Spain’s assistance in evacuating the passengers. WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus also arrived in Tenerife on Saturday evening. He was accompanied by Spain’s health and interior ministers to oversee the entire rescue operation.
How does Hantavirus spread?
Hantaviruses are usually spread through the feces, urine, or saliva of animals like rodents. They can cause severe respiratory illness, but they rarely spread from person to person. The WHO says the risk to the rest of the world is low.
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