MV Hondius evacuation overseen in Spain after hantavirus outbreak
Updated
Updated · The Associated Press · May 9
MV Hondius evacuation overseen in Spain after hantavirus outbreak
15 articles · Updated · The Associated Press · May 9
Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus and Spanish ministers are in Tenerife as the Dutch-flagged ship brings more than 140 passengers and crew for disembarkation on Sunday.
Three people have died, five former passengers are infected, and Britain and the United States are sending planes while Spain prepares an isolated reception area and an EU standby medical evacuation aircraft.
Authorities across four continents are tracing earlier disembarked passengers; WHO says nobody still aboard has symptoms and the risk to the Canary Islands and globally remains low.
Can health officials contain the virus as potentially infected passengers scatter across four continents?
How did a rare South American virus trigger a deadly outbreak on a modern cruise ship?
With low global risk, why is this hantavirus outbreak prompting such a massive international response?
147 Exposed: The MV Hondius Andes Hantavirus Outbreak and Global Containment Efforts
Overview
The MV Hondius, which began its journey from Ushuaia, Argentina, is set to arrive in Tenerife amid a deadly outbreak of the Andes hantavirus, a rare strain capable of spreading from person to person through close contact. This imminent threat has triggered urgent preparations and unprecedented international coordination to protect public health. The World Health Organization has taken a leading role, holding press briefings and implementing strict protocols for the ship’s arrival. The situation highlights the challenges of managing infectious diseases on cruise ships and the importance of global collaboration in responding to emerging health crises.