All passengers aboard a cruise ship hit by a deadly hantavirus outbreak are being treated as high-risk contacts as a precaution, Europe’s public health agency said, ahead of the vessel’s expected arrival Sunday off the Spanish island of Tenerife.
The MV Hondius was expected to anchor off Tenerife as countries prepared to evacuate their citizens from the ship between 6:30 and 7:00 GMT, according to Reuters. Passengers without symptoms will be repatriated for self-quarantine by their respective countries using specially arranged transport, rather than regular commercial flights, the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control said Saturday in rapid scientific advice.
Eight people have fallen ill in the outbreak, including three who died, a Dutch couple and a German national, the World Health Organization said Friday. Six of the eight cases have been confirmed as hantavirus infections, while two others are suspected cases, the WHO said.
A mobile medical facility was set up at the port of Granadilla de Abona in Tenerife ahead of the ship’s arrival.
Although passengers will be considered high-risk contacts when they disembark, the ECDC said not all will necessarily remain classified as high-risk once they return to their home countries.
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A view of a tent of a mobile medical facility set up at the port of Granadilla de Abona
(Photo: Reuters)
The agency said passengers with symptoms should be prioritized for medical assessment and testing upon arrival. Depending on their condition, they may be isolated in Tenerife or medically evacuated home.
Hantavirus is usually spread by rodents, but in rare cases can be transmitted from person to person. Health authorities have said the risk of wider spread is low.