Spanish authorities have initiated an emergency evacuation of patients infected with hantavirus from the MV Hondius cruise ship to the shores of Tenerife, an island in Spain’s Canary Islands.
According to a statement released by Spanish Secretary of State for Health Javier Padilla on May 10, passengers will be transferred via Zodiac boats in groups of five individuals. After disembarking, participants will be transported by three buses prepared by the military emergency management unit (UME) with necessary safety and health protocols.
The initial evacuation cohort includes 14 Spanish citizens. The operation, involving 325 Civil Guard personnel and 33 police officers, commenced at dawn on May 9. Under the plan, all patients will be accompanied by a World Health Organization (WHO) representative who will also undergo quarantine following transfer.
Thirty crew members are scheduled to remain aboard the vessel to return to the Netherlands, while an additional 17 individuals will disembark for assistance in repatriating them to their home countries. Padilla specified that departing passengers may carry only a small, sealed bag containing essential items: documents, a mobile phone, a charger, basic necessities, and personal belongings.
The MV Hondius will undergo thorough disinfection, with certain materials disposed of according to international protocols. The hantavirus outbreak on the cruise ship was first reported on May 3, when at least two fatalities were confirmed among passengers originating from Argentina. By later that week, the death toll had risen to three.
South Africa’s Minister of Health, Aaron Motsoaledi, stated on May 6 that the virus strain responsible for the deaths is designated as Andes and represents one of only 38 strains capable of person-to-person transmission. On May 9, Dr. Juan Jose Badiola, Director of the Center for Encephalopathy and New Infectious Diseases at the University of Zaragoza, explained that hantavirus typically spreads from rodents to humans through direct contact and can become airborne in unventilated spaces.
