SouthernWorldwide.com – The cruise ship implicated in a fatal Hantavirus outbreak has arrived off the coast of Tenerife, Spain, as passengers commenced their evacuation and return to their home countries.
Spanish health officials confirmed that passengers are undergoing testing to ensure they are asymptomatic before being transported to shore via smaller vessels. This information was relayed by Reuters.
The first aircraft carrying Spanish passengers has already departed for a military hospital in Madrid, where they will be placed in quarantine. This was confirmed by Spanish health authorities.
A group of 17 American passengers on board the MV Hondius will be transported to a medical facility in Nebraska. This transfer will occur once health officials deem them fit for disembarkation.
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A representative from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) informed ABC News that federal officials do not currently plan to mandate a quarantine for the American passengers upon their arrival in Nebraska. This statement was made on Saturday morning.
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Instead, these passengers will be screened upon their arrival in the U.S. They will either spend a brief period at Nebraska’s National Quarantine Unit or return to their homes. During their return home, they will monitor for symptoms for 42 days and maintain contact with local health authorities.
The ship had altered its course and set sail for Spain on Wednesday. This decision was made from the coast of Cape Verde, following requests for assistance from the World Health Organization (WHO) and the European Union in managing the ongoing outbreak.
The ship’s arrival occurred just hours after the Director-General of the World Health Organization, Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, landed on the island. His presence indicates the seriousness of the situation.
The WHO reported on Friday that a total of eight individuals on board the ship had fallen ill, with three of them succumbing to the illness. Six cases have been officially confirmed, and two additional cases are under investigation.
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In a statement released on Saturday, Dr. Ghebreyesus emphasized that the public health risk associated with this outbreak remains low. He acknowledged the public’s concerns.
“I know you are worried. I know that when you hear the word ‘outbreak’ and watch a ship sail toward your shores, memories surface that none of us have fully put to rest,” he stated.
“The pain of 2020 is still real, and I do not dismiss it for a single moment. But I need you to hear me clearly: this is not another COVID-19. The current public health risk from Hantavirus remains low. My colleagues and I have said this unequivocally, and I will say it again to you now,” he continued, aiming to reassure the public.
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Dr. Ghebreyesus further clarified that the specific strain of hantavirus identified on the ship is the Andes strain. He noted that this particular strain can lead to severe illness.
“Three people have lost their lives, and our hearts go out to their families,” he wrote, while reiterating his assessment that the public health risk posed by the virus remains low.
Approximately 30 crew members are expected to remain on board the vessel. The ship will then proceed to the Netherlands, where it will undergo a thorough disinfection process.
