An international evacuation of passengers from the luxury cruise ship MV Hondius is being prepared off the coast of Tenerife after an outbreak of hantavirus was detected on board, causing several cases of illness, while the World Health Organization emphasizes that the risk to public health remains low, Reuters reports.
European countries and the United States are organizing the evacuation of their citizens from the ship, which is heading to a Spanish port near Tenerife, after the WHO informed member states of the evacuation procedure and recommended enhanced medical monitoring of passengers for 42 days from the time of their last contact.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus stated: “I want you to hear me clearly: this is not another COVID. The current public health risk from hantavirus remains low.”
According to the organization, six cases of infection have been laboratory-confirmed, with two more suspected cases; among the deceased are a married couple from the Netherlands and a German citizen.
The cruise ship is expected to drop anchor near the island between 3:00 a.m. (6:00 a.m. Kyiv time – IF-U) and 5:00 a.m. (8:00 a.m. Kyiv time – IF-U), after which the evacuation will take place from Sunday through Monday at the industrial port of Granadilla.
Passengers will be transported to shore in sealed and secured vehicles via an isolated corridor, followed by repatriation to their countries of origin, while their luggage and the body of the deceased will remain on board until disinfection is complete.
Belgium, France, Germany, Ireland, and the Netherlands have already sent planes to evacuate their citizens; the EU is sending two additional planes for other European passengers, while the U.S. and the U.K. are preparing their own flights and contingency plans.
