Passengers Evacuated from Hantavirus-Impacted Cruise Ship in Tenerife
On Sunday, in the Canary Islands off the coast of Spain, passengers began to disembark from a cruise ship affected by hantavirus. This occurred just hours after the ship’s arrival in Tenerife, signaling the start of evacuation efforts.
An Associated Press reporter noted that travelers were seen leaving the ship and reaching the shore. According to Spanish health authorities, the World Health Organization (WHO), and Oceanwide Expeditions, none of the over 140 passengers aboard the MV Hondius are exhibiting symptoms of the virus.
The Spanish Ministry of Health confirmed that locals would be the first to leave the ship, using small boats designed for five to ten people.
The cruise ship docked in Tenerife early Sunday, having departed from Cape Verde on May 6. Following the outbreak, there have been three fatalities, and five passengers who left the ship have tested positive for hantavirus, which can lead to severe illness.
All passengers will undergo health screenings for symptoms and will be departed as soon as flights back to their destinations are arranged.
Health Minister Monica García stated that the entire operation is proceeding as planned. Authorities, alongside the WHO, aim to complete evacuation flights between Sunday and Monday.
The ship has passengers from over 20 different countries. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus is collaborating with Spain’s health and interior ministers to oversee the operations on Tenerife, ensuring that disembarking passengers and crew do not come into contact with local residents.
Hantaviruses are typically transmitted through inhaling particles from rodent droppings, though they aren’t easily passed between humans. However, the Andes virus linked to this outbreak does have the potential for rare human-to-human transmission. Symptoms can show up between one to eight weeks after exposure.
Officials indicated that the Spanish passengers would be taken to medical facilities and placed in isolation. The cruise line reported having 13 Spanish passengers along with one Spanish crew member on board.
Notably, only Spanish nationals will be quarantined domestically. Some Spanish passengers expressed concerns about facing stigma upon returning to land.
Moreover, the United States, Britain, and the Netherlands have arranged for planes to evacuate their citizens. All American passengers will be isolated at a medical facility in Nebraska. A Dutch charter flight will carry 29 individuals, including Dutch nationals and others. Additionally, five French passengers are set for repatriation today, followed by a 72-hour hospital observation and a 45-day home isolation, according to the French government.
British passengers and crew will also face hospitalization for observation once they return. Australia plans to send planes to evacuate its citizens and others from nearby countries, with those flights expected on Monday and marking the final departures from Tenerife.
Norway has dispatched an ambulance trained for high-risk infectious disease patient transport, operated by the EU but under Norwegian control. Disembarking passengers and crew will be able to bring only small bags with essential items like mobile phones and documents, leaving their larger luggage behind.
Spanish authorities mentioned that the remains of some crew and passengers who passed away on board will stay on the ship, which will sail to Rotterdam in the Netherlands for disinfection. The estimated travel time to Rotterdam is around five days.
