The evacuation of passengers from the virus-stricken cruise ship MV Hondius was completed on Monday after health authorities confirmed new hantavirus infections linked to the outbrea
According to Reuters, Spain coordinated the final repatriation flights from Tenerife for passengers aboard the Dutch-flagged luxury expedition vessel, which had been affected by a deadly outbreak of the Andes strain of hantavirus.
The outbreak has killed three passengers, identified as a Dutch couple and a German national. The World Health Organization said several additional cases had either been confirmed or were under investigation.
Health officials said two more passengers tested positive after evacuation from the ship. One infected passenger was transferred to France, while another was taken to the United States for monitoring and treatment.
The MV Hondius had been travelling from Argentina when the outbreak emerged. The vessel was temporarily stranded near Cape Verde before Spain agreed to oversee a controlled evacuation operation in the Canary Islands.
The WHO confirmed that the virus involved is the Andes hantavirus strain, which is rare because it can spread between humans through prolonged close contact. However, authorities stressed that the risk to the wider public remains low.
Passengers were transported from the ship in small groups under strict biosecurity measures before boarding repatriation flights to their home countries. Some evacuees may remain under quarantine and medical observation for up to 42 days due to the virus’s incubation period.
After the final passengers and some crew members disembarked in Tenerife, the ship departed for the Netherlands carrying a reduced crew and onboard medical staff.
