Cruise Ship Hantavirus Outbreak Triggers International Evacuation From Tenerife

CNBC reported Sunday that government evacuation flights began departing Tenerife following a deadly hantavirus outbreak aboard the cruise ship MV Hondius. Three passengers have died, and health authorities across multiple nations are racing to contain any further spread.

Evacuation Flights Depart as Governments Act Fast

Spanish and French nationals were the first to fly home, landing in Madrid and Paris Sunday afternoon before being transferred to hospitals. French Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu disclosed that one of the five French passengers showed symptoms during the repatriation flight itself. Flights carrying passengers from Canada, the Netherlands, Turkey, the United Kingdom, Ireland, and the United States were scheduled to depart by Sunday evening local time. Remaining departures are due by Monday afternoon. Upon landing, passengers face testing, then either hospital admission, quarantine facilities, or monitored home isolation.

What Is Hantavirus and How Did It Spread

The hantavirus outbreak was first flagged on May 2 by health officials in Johannesburg. They were treating a British man hospitalised in intensive care, roughly three weeks after a fellow passenger had already died. The WHO believes the initial infection may have originated before the voyage began, possibly during travel through Argentina or Chile. Hantavirus is primarily spread through contact with rodents, though person-to-person transmission can occur in rare, close-contact cases. No rodents were found aboard the vessel, Spanish authorities confirmed.

Background: Deaths, Hospitalizations, and a Remote Territory Case

Eight people who have since left the ship fell ill, with six confirmed infections. The three fatalities are a Dutch couple and a German national. Four patients remain hospitalised across South Africa, the Netherlands, and Switzerland. On the remote British overseas territory of Tristan da Cunha, a suspected case is being managed by medical specialists the UK military parachuted onto the island. A woman in Spain who shared a flight with one of the victims tested negative.

WHO Orders 42-Day Quarantine as Officials Urge Calm

WHO epidemic director Maria Van Kerkhove recommended a 42-day quarantine for all passengers, citing an incubation period of up to six weeks. Spain will keep its nationals hospitalised for the full period. France will hospitalise passengers for 72 hours before allowing home isolation for a further 45 days. Acting U.S. CDC Director Jay Bhattacharya sought to temper public anxiety, telling CNN directly that this situation bears no meaningful resemblance to the Covid-19 pandemic. U.S. passengers were offered a choice between home isolation and a dedicated facility in Nebraska. The MV Hondius will sail to the Netherlands Monday evening with 30 crew members remaining aboard.

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