A cruise ship affected by a hantavirus outbreak has arrived near Spain’s Canary Islands, where most of the nearly 150 people on board will be evacuated and flown home.
According to Beyond Time News, the Dutch-flagged vessel MV Hondius arrived near the port of Granadilla under escort as authorities prepared a controlled evacuation.
The outbreak has so far caused three deaths and several confirmed infections.
WHO Declares All Onboard High-Risk
WHO epidemiologist Maria Van Kerkhove said all passengers and crew are classified as high-risk contacts and must be monitored for 42 days, even without symptoms.
She said the risk to the general public remains low.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus also said the situation is under control and not comparable to COVID-19.
Evacuation Plan in Place
According to Beyond Time News, passengers will be screened before being flown home in groups based on nationality.
Authorities have secured the port area and restricted access to ensure no contact with the local population during the operation.
Suspected Hantavirus Cases Evacuated from Cruise Ship
Rare Virus Behind Outbreak
The outbreak is linked to hantavirus, a rare disease usually spread by rodents. The Andes strain identified in this case can also spread between humans.
According to Beyond Time News, confirmed cases remain limited, and suspected infections have either been cleared or are under observation.
International Monitoring Continues
Health authorities in several countries are tracking passengers who disembarked earlier as a precaution, while others remain under observation to prevent further spread.
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