Cruise ship passengers evacuated due to hantavirus outbreak

The cruise ship MV Hondius has arrived near Spain's island of Tenerife for the evacuation of nearly 150 people on board. This operation follows a deadly hantavirus outbreak that has led to three deaths among passengers.

Spanish authorities, working with the World Health Organization (WHO), are managing the safe disembarkation. The ship is expected to anchor offshore, and those aboard will be screened for symptoms before coming ashore in small boats.

The WHO confirmed that as of May 8, there were eight reported cases of hantavirus, including three deaths. Six of these cases were confirmed as Andes virus, a type known to spread between people.

Countries including Germany, France, Belgium, Ireland, and the Netherlands have sent planes to collect their citizens. The European Union is providing two additional planes for other European nationals. The United States and the United Kingdom have also arranged repatriation flights for their citizens.

Passengers will be taken by bus to the airport once their respective charter flights are ready. They will then be flown to their home countries, where they are expected to enter quarantine. Spanish nationals will be flown to Madrid on a military plane for quarantine at a hospital.

The evacuation is planned to take place on Sunday and Monday. This timing is crucial to avoid changing sea conditions. After the operation, the MV Hondius will sail to the Netherlands for disinfection.

The first victim, a Dutch man, was taken off the ship at St. Helena island. His wife later died in a South African hospital. A German woman, one of three passengers who died from the virus, will be transported back to the Netherlands on the ship.

German health authorities recommend six weeks of isolation for individuals who may have been exposed but show no symptoms. This quarantine can be completed at home. The WHO has stated that the risk to the general public in the Canary Islands and globally remains low.

The ship, which began its journey from Argentina on April 1, is carrying people from over 20 countries. The WHO chief, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, is in Tenerife to oversee the evacuation process and ensure coordination between different administrations and health controls.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez stated that Spain has a moral and legal duty to allow the ship safe harbor for the evacuation. He met with WHO chief Tedros in Madrid to discuss the operation.

Spanish Health Minister Monica Garcia confirmed that the risk to the public is low. She added that the body of one deceased person would remain on board with a portion of the crew before the ship continues to the Netherlands.

A KLM flight attendant, initially suspected of having hantavirus after contact with an infected passenger, has tested negative. This case highlights that the virus does not spread as easily as COVID-19, according to WHO spokesman Christian Lindmeier.