Evacuations begin on ship where hantavirus was detected

The Dutch-flagged luxury passenger ship MV Hondius, which saw 3 deaths linked to hantavirus while traveling from Argentina to Cabo Verde off the west coast of Africa with more than 140 passengers and crew—mostly British, American, and Spanish—has reached the Canary Islands, Spain. The ship has anchored at the Port of Granadilla in Tenerife for the evacuation operation.

EVACUATIONS TO BEGIN IN THE MORNING HOURS

Spanish authorities stated that passengers showing no symptoms of the disease will be tested, and those who test negative will be transported to shore by small boats. The evacuated passengers will then be taken by buses under quarantine procedures to an airport 10 minutes away and boarded onto flights to their home countries. Spanish authorities stated that evacuations are expected to begin between 09:30 and 10:00 TRT.

SHIP TO HEAD TO THE NETHERLANDS AFTER EVACUATIONS

Spanish authorities announced that Spanish citizens will be the first to be evacuated from the ship, followed by passengers of other nationalities in groups, and that 30 crew members will remain on board to sail the ship to the Netherlands.

World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus arrived in Tenerife yesterday evening to coordinate the evacuations.

3 PASSENGERS HAD LOST THEIR LIVES ON THE MV HONDIUS

On April 6, a 70-year-old Dutch man on the MV Hondius passenger ship fell ill with complaints of fever, headache, and mild diarrhea. The man, who began experiencing respiratory distress in the following days, passed away on the ship on April 11. The Dutch man's wife fell ill at the airport on April 26 while trying to board another flight to return to her country and passed away at a hospital in Johannesburg, South Africa, where she had been taken. While the ship was en route to Cabo Verde off the west coast of Africa, a German female passenger also fell ill on April 28 and passed away on the ship on May 2, approximately one month after the first passenger fell ill.

The WHO confirmed 3 deaths linked to the virus last Friday, announcing that the virus had been detected in 6 people and that there were 2 suspected cases.

News Source: İHA