Hantavirus Cruise Ship Arrives in Tenerife for Multi-Nation Evacuation
CNN reported Sunday that the hantavirus cruise ship MV Hondius has reached the Spanish island of Tenerife. A carefully managed international repatriation operation is now underway for its 147 passengers.
Controlled Arrival at a Cautious Distance
The vessel anchored at the Port of Granadilla in the Canary Islands. Officials positioned the ship at what they described as the safest possible distance from the dock. Passengers are being ferried ashore by nationality in small boats capped at ten people per trip. Tour operator Oceanwide Expeditions confirmed the disembarkation sequence will align with incoming repatriation flights from multiple countries. Passengers’ luggage will remain aboard and be returned separately.
Spain, the US, Germany, France, Belgium, Ireland, and the Netherlands are each dispatching aircraft to collect their respective nationals. Spain’s 14 passengers were scheduled to leave the vessel first. Spain’s Health Minister Monica Garcia said they will wear FFP2 masks throughout transfers and will be admitted to a military hospital. Individual rooms, no visitors, and PCR tests on arrival and again seven days later are the conditions set by Spain’s health ministry.
What Is Hantavirus and How Did This Outbreak Begin
Hantavirus is a rare illness linked to contact with the urine or feces of infected rodents. The outbreak emerged after the MV Hondius departed Argentina last month. Three people connected to the voyage have since died from the disease. Several other passengers were medically evacuated from the ship before it reached Tenerife. The disease does not typically spread person-to-person, but its presence aboard a confined vessel prompted an urgent international response.
US Passengers Headed to Nebraska Quarantine Unit
A spokesperson for the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said the ship’s 17 American passengers are all currently symptom-free. They will be transferred to the University of Nebraska Medical Center, which houses the federally funded National Quarantine Unit. After an initial assessment there, passengers will transition to home-based monitoring lasting 42 days. Check-ins are expected at least daily throughout that period.
Local Tensions and What Comes Next
The docking has not been without friction. The Canary Islands’ regional leader Fernando Clavijo had publicly opposed the ship using Tenerife as its disembarkation point. Port workers held protests earlier in the week, citing insufficient information about health risks to dock workers and logistics staff. Once the evacuation concludes, the MV Hondius and its crew are scheduled to sail on to Rotterdam in the Netherlands.
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