Hantavirus-hit cruise ship arrives in Tenerife, passengers expected to return home
CNN • • health
Key Points:
- The cruise ship MV Hondius, linked to a hantavirus outbreak resulting in three deaths, has arrived at Tenerife in the Canary Islands for a managed disembarkation of its 147 passengers.
- Passengers will be evacuated by nationality in small boats and tested to confirm they remain symptom-free before repatriation, with countries including the US, Germany, France, Belgium, Ireland, and the Netherlands coordinating flights for their nationals.
- US passengers will be transported to the University of Nebraska Medical Center for initial assessment and then undergo 42 days of home-based monitoring, while Spanish passengers will be isolated in a military hospital with PCR testing protocols.
- The arrival of the ship has sparked tensions and protests in Tenerife due to concerns about health risks and communication, although the World Health Organization maintains the outbreak poses low risk to the general public.
- After disembarkation, the ship will proceed to Rotterdam for crew disembarkation and disinfection.
