Cruise ship hit by hantavirus outbreak arrives in Tenerife

"Hantavirus is usually spread by rodents but can in rare cases be transmitted person to person. The cruise ship hit by a deadly hantavirus outbreak has arrived near the Port of Granadilla in Tenerife in the Canary Islands. The Dutch-flagged MV Hondius arrived at the Spanish port early on Sunday, escorted by a Civil Guard vessel, according to data from the maritime tracking service VesselFinder."

"The ship had left for Tenerife on Wednesday from the coast of Cape Verde after the World Health Organization (WHO) and European Union asked Spain to manage the evacuation of its passengers after the hantavirus outbreak was detected. The WHO said on Friday that at least eight people on the ship had fallen ill, including three who died a Dutch couple and a German national. Six of these people are confirmed to have contracted the virus with another two suspected cases, the WHO said."

"All passengers on the luxury cruise ship are being considered high-risk contacts as a precautionary measure, Europe's public health agency said late on Saturday as part of its rapid scientific advice. In Tenerife, the passengers will be tested by Spanish health authorities to ensure they remain asymptomatic and will then be transported to land in small boats, according to Spanish officials. Sealed-off buses will take the passengers to the Spanish island's main airport about 10 minutes away, where they will board planes heading to their respective countries."

"The evacuation is expected to begin between 7:30am and 8:30am (06:30 and 07:00 GMT), according to Spanish authorities. Spanish nationals are set to disembark first with other nationalities to follow in groups, government officials said. Thirty crew members will remain on board and will sail to the Netherlands, where the ship will be disinfected."

Hantavirus is usually spread by rodents but can rarely spread from person to person. A Dutch-flagged cruise ship, MV Hondius, arrived near the Port of Granadilla in Tenerife, Canary Islands, after a hantavirus outbreak was detected onboard. The ship left Cape Verde on Wednesday and was directed by the World Health Organization and the European Union to manage passenger evacuation. At least eight people fell ill, including three deaths, with six confirmed hantavirus cases and two suspected cases. All passengers are treated as high-risk contacts. Spanish authorities will test passengers for symptoms, transport them to shore by small boats, then move them by sealed buses to the main airport for flights to their home countries. Thirty crew members will remain onboard and sail to the Netherlands for disinfection.

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