Passengers evacuated from cruise ship linked to hantavirus outbreak off Tenerife
The cruise ship MV Hondius arrived early Sunday off the coast of Tenerife, Spanish authorities said, as evacuation procedures for passengers began. Passengers will be tested for symptoms of hantavirus before being transported ashore in small boats, according to Spanish officials.
Evacuations are scheduled to start between 7:30 a.m. and 8:30 a.m. local time. Spanish nationals will disembark first, followed by passengers of other nationalities. They will then be taken to Tenerife’s main airport for flights home, officials said. Multiple Americans are believed to be aboard the vessel.
The ship was heading to Spain from Cape Verde after the World Health Organization and European Union requested assistance managing the outbreak. The WHO said Friday that eight people aboard the ship had fallen ill, with three fatalities. Six cases have been confirmed, with two others suspected.
WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus emphasized the low public health risk in a statement Saturday. He said the virus identified aboard the ship is the Andes strain of hantavirus, which can be severe. Ghebreyesus noted that about 30 crew members are expected to remain on board as the vessel continues to the Netherlands for disinfection.
The outbreak has raised concerns about rodent-borne diseases, though health officials continue to stress that the overall risk remains low. The U.S. government is planning to transfer American passengers to a military base in Nebraska for quarantine and monitoring, according to reports.
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