Evacuation of Passengers from Hantavirus-Linked Cruise Ship Begins Near Tenerife

A cruise ship associated with a hantavirus outbreak is set to reach Spain’s Tenerife island early on Sunday, prompting the evacuation of its passengers.

Spanish health authorities plan to test the passengers to ensure they show no symptoms before allowing them to come ashore via small boats, as reported by Reuters.

The evacuation is scheduled to commence between 7:30 a.m. and 8:30 a.m. local time, starting with Spanish passengers, followed by others from different countries. The evacuees will be transported to the island’s main airport for flights back to their respective homes, with several Americans on board the MV Hondius.

Earlier reports indicated that the U.S. government intends to transfer American passengers to a military base in Nebraska for quarantine and observation.

The cruise ship departed for Spain from the Cape Verde coast on Wednesday, following requests for assistance from the WHO and the European Union to manage the outbreak.

The ship’s arrival coincided with the visit of WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus to the island.

According to the WHO, eight individuals aboard the ship became ill, with three fatalities. Six cases of confirmed infections have been reported, along with two suspected cases.

Dr. Ghebreyesus addressed concerns regarding the outbreak, stressing that while the past two years have been traumatic, the risk from hantavirus remains low. He noted, “The memories of 2020 remain real. But this is not another coronavirus situation.”

He further stated that the hantavirus variant found on the ship, the Andean strain, poses serious health risks, and he expressed condolences to the families of the deceased.

The ship’s next destination is the Netherlands, but about 30 crew members will remain aboard for the disinfecting process.