Hantavirus crisis continues
As evacuation operations continue following the hantavirus outbreak on the MV Hondius cruise ship docked in the Canary Islands, symptoms have been detected in one of the passengers sent to France.
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The hantavirus outbreak on the Dutch-flagged passenger ship MV Hondius, which was en route to Cabo Verde off the west coast of Africa and carrying over 140 people—mostly British, American, and Spanish passengers—has reached an international alarm level following 3 deaths on board. After departing from Argentina, the ship docked at the Port of Granadilla in Tenerife, Canary Islands, where meticulously managed evacuation procedures were initiated.
Footage shared from the port area showed authorities and passengers being evacuated in a controlled manner. Passengers were taken from the port to Tenerife South-Reina Sofia Airport under escort. Some passengers who entered Spanish territory were placed under observation in a military hospital for security reasons.
According to Spanish health authorities, passengers were evacuated in groups under strict precautions. Spanish citizens, in particular, were brought ashore by small boats in the first group and then transported to the airport by bus. The evacuation of Dutch passengers, followed by citizens of Turkey, France, the UK, and the US, was carried out in stages.
SYMPTOMS DETECTED IN ONE OF THE EVACUEES IN FRANCE
High-level security measures were also implemented upon the arrival of French passengers in Paris. French Minister of the Armed Forces Sebastien Lecornu announced that hantavirus symptoms were detected in one of the five passengers evacuated from the ship and brought to France. In his statement, Lecornu said, "Symptoms have been observed in one of the passengers brought to our country, and the isolation process has been initiated." The passenger and those accompanying them are expected to be kept under observation in the hospital for 72 hours and then continue quarantine at their homes for 45 days.
Following the start of the evacuations, it was announced that citizens of Germany, Belgium, and Greece would also be sent to their respective countries on private planes, and that the 30 crew members remaining on board would set sail to bring the ship to the Netherlands. It was reported that the final evacuation group would consist of citizens from Australia, New Zealand, and some Asian countries, and that the plane carrying these passengers was expected to arrive in Tenerife the following day.