Tenerife, Spain – A complex, multi-national evacuation operation is underway for passengers and crew aboard the cruise ship MV Hondius, which arrived off the coast of Tenerife carrying individuals affected by a hantavirus outbreak. As of Sunday evening, flights carrying evacuated passengers have begun departing the island, bound for various home countries.
==The MV Hondius, carrying 146 people, docked in the early hours of Sunday morning after three deaths and eight reported illnesses linked to the virus.
Evacuation Logistics and Nationalities
Spanish nationals were the first to leave the vessel, with a plane carrying 14 passengers departing Tenerife on Sunday for Madrid, where they will undergo quarantine at a military hospital. Other nations, including the Netherlands, France, Canada, and the United States, are also arranging charter flights to repatriate their citizens. A Dutch charter flight, with 29 individuals on board, was scheduled to depart, including Dutch nationals and others. French evacuees have reportedly landed near Paris.
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While the primary concern is the repatriation of those aboard the ship, Spanish authorities have stated they will not have direct contact with individuals in Tenerife. Those evacuated will be placed under quarantine upon arrival in their home countries, with only the 14 Spanish nationals initially scheduled for quarantine within Spain.
Health Screenings and Protocols
Authorities on site are not conducting PCR testing for hantavirus. Instead, individuals onboard have had their temperatures taken and completed health surveys designed to identify potential symptoms. Despite the deaths and illnesses, some reports indicate that none of the passengers currently on board the ship are showing symptoms of the virus. Personnel involved in the disembarkation process and those working at the port were seen wearing personal protective equipment (PPE), including face masks and respirators.
Background of the Outbreak
The hantavirus outbreak aboard the MV Hondius has been linked to several fatalities. A Dutch man died onboard on April 11, followed by his wife in a South African clinic on April 26. A German woman died aboard the ship on May 2. According to the WHO, the German woman had shown serious symptoms on a flight to Johannesburg on April 25. The body of the individual who died on board will remain on the ship, which is slated for disinfection in the Netherlands.
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The ship, flagged in the Netherlands, arrived off the Spanish island after the outbreak became apparent. The World Health Organization (WHO) has been involved in coordinating the response. Health experts have cautioned against comparing this outbreak to COVID-19, emphasizing the different transmission routes and risks to the wider public.
