TENERIFE/MADRID — International evacuation operations continued Monday for passengers aboard the MV Hondius after a deadly hantavirus outbreak linked to the cruise ship prompted quarantines, global contact tracing, and heightened health monitoring across multiple countries.
Passengers and crew began disembarking under strict health protocols in Tenerife, Spain, as authorities coordinated flights to return evacuees to their home countries. Officials said passengers would remain isolated during transit and would have no direct contact with the public.
The World Health Organization (WHO) recommended a 42-day quarantine period for all individuals connected to the vessel, beginning Sunday, as health agencies worked to contain the outbreak and monitor potential infections.
Spanish and French nationals were among the first evacuees flown out, while additional flights were arranged for citizens from Canada, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, Turkey, Ireland, and the United States. Authorities said an Australian government flight carrying citizens from Australia, New Zealand, and other Asian countries was expected to depart Monday.
Health officials said eight people linked to the ship have fallen ill, including three who died. Six of the cases have been confirmed as hantavirus infections.
The outbreak was first identified earlier this month after a British passenger receiving treatment in South Africa tested positive for the virus. Authorities believe the initial infection may have occurred before boarding, possibly during travel in parts of South America, with transmission potentially continuing onboard.
Hantavirus is primarily spread through contact with infected rodents or contaminated materials, though experts note that person-to-person transmission can occur in rare cases involving certain strains.
WHO specialists and Spanish health authorities are continuing passenger testing and containment efforts in Tenerife. Officials emphasized that the risk to the wider public remains low despite the extensive international response.
Separately, the United Kingdom deployed a military medical team to Tristan da Cunha to assist with a suspected case involving a British resident who had previously traveled aboard the ship.
Four patients remain hospitalized in South Africa, the Netherlands, and Switzerland, while a suspected case in Germany later tested negative, according to health officials.
European public health authorities said all passengers from the MV Hondius are being treated as high-risk contacts as a precautionary measure. Spanish authorities also conducted inspections aboard the vessel and said outbreaks linked to cruise ships remain extremely rare.
Around 30 crew members are expected to remain onboard as the ship sails to the Netherlands for full disinfection and further inspection.
Edgardo Hernal started college at UP Diliman and received his BA in Economics from San Sebastian College, Manila, and Masters in Information Systems Management from Keller Graduate School of Management of DeVry University in Oak Brook, IL. He has 25 years of copy editing and management experience at Thomson West, a subsidiary of Thomson Reuters.
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