The MV Hondius, a luxury cruise ship hit by a deadly hantavirus outbreak, anchored off Tenerife in Spain's Canary Islands for the evacuation of its passengers and crew. Three people have died since the outbreak began—a Dutch couple and a German woman—and eight others fell ill. Hantavirus is typically spread by rodents but can rarely be transmitted from person to person.
Around 146 to 150 people, all deemed high-risk contacts, were repatriated to more than 20 countries via military and government planes. Spanish nationals were among the first to disembark, traveling by sealed-off buses to a military hospital in Madrid. While most passengers remained asymptomatic, they were confined to their cabins in the days leading up to the evacuation to halt the spread of the virus.
Among the evacuees, a French woman in serious condition was flown to Paris after testing positive. In the United States, 17 to 18 passengers were flown to Nebraska for evaluation. One American tested positive while remaining asymptomatic, and another exhibited mild symptoms. A Spanish passenger also tested positive.
Following the disembarkation of the final passengers, the MV Hondius set sail for the Netherlands to undergo disinfection in Rotterdam. The vessel continues to carry the body of a German passenger who died during the cruise. Regarding the outbreak, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus stated that the general public should not be worried.