Hantavirus-stricken cruise ship arrives in Tenerife
NBC News • • world
Key Points:
- Passengers began evacuating the MV Hondius cruise ship off Tenerife, Spain, following a deadly hantavirus outbreak that has resulted in six confirmed cases and three deaths, including two on board.
- The World Health Organization (WHO) stated the risk to the public is low and emphasized active monitoring and follow-up for all passengers and crew for 42 days after exposure.
- Passengers are being repatriated in groups by nationality, with Spanish passengers departing first, followed by those from the Netherlands, Germany, Belgium, Greece, Turkey, France, the U.K., the U.S., Australia, New Zealand, and Asia.
- The 17 Americans remaining on board will be quarantined at a specialized facility in Nebraska, while the ship will continue to Rotterdam for disinfection, with the body of a deceased passenger remaining on board.
- Hantavirus is primarily contracted through contact with rodents, and the Andes strain involved is known to spread between people only through close contact; the outbreak likely began from rodent exposure during bird watching activities.
