A cruise ship carrying over 140 passengers and crew is making its way to Tenerife, in Spain’s Canary Islands, after a deadly hantavirus outbreak on board.
Three people have died since the outbreak began, and five passengers who left the ship have tested positive for the virus. The ship’s operator, Oceanwide Expeditions, says no one currently on board is showing symptoms.
Spanish authorities are taking no chances. When the MV Hondius arrives, passengers will be taken off in small groups and transported in isolated, guarded vehicles. The areas of the airport they pass through will also be cordoned off from the public.
The World Health Organisation says the risk to the general public remains low. A flight attendant who briefly came into contact with an infected passenger has tested negative, which health officials say is reassuring. “This is not a new Covid,” said WHO spokesman Christian Lindmeier.
Hantavirus is usually spread by breathing in dust contaminated with infected rodent droppings. It does not easily pass between people, though the specific strain found on this ship, the Andes virus, may be able to in rare cases.
The US and UK have both arranged flights to bring their citizens home from the ship once it docks in Tenerife.
