On Sunday, Spain began a carefully managed evacuation and repatriation operation for passengers aboard the hantavirus-hit cruise ship MS Hondius near Tenerife in the Canary Islands. Health Minister Mónica García said the process was proceeding normally and confirmed that all passengers on board remained asymptomatic.
Since the vessel left Argentina last month, three deaths have been associated with hantavirus, a rare illness usually resulting from contact with the urine or feces of infected rats. The World Health Organization says the overall risk to the general public remains low. The ship’s arrival has stirred tensions in the Canary Islands, an autonomous region of Spain, and earlier in the week the territory’s leader, Fernando Clavijo, voiced his opposition to allowing the vessel to dock.
Hantavirus refers to a group of viruses carried by rodents. These viruses are present in certain regions of Europe, Africa, and Asia. Although most hantaviruses are not typically spread from person to person, rare cases of human-to-human transmission have been reported with the Andes virus strain.
Symptoms of hantavirus infection can include:
Fever, extreme fatigue, muscle aches, stomach pain, nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, or shortness of breath.
In certain instances, individuals experience serious breathing problems, dangerously low blood pressure, and kidney failure, making hospitalization necessary.
The vessel MV Hondius was en route from South America to the Canary Islands when multiple passengers became ill. According to the WHO, eight cases have been recorded so far, including both confirmed and suspected infections. Three individuals have died in the outbreak. The ship was diverted to Tenerife so medical teams could treat the sick safely and reduce the risk of further virus transmission.
1 Apr: The MV Hondius departs from Ushuaia
11 Apr: First casualty among passengers reported
24 Apr: Spouse of the deceased passenger transported from St Helena to South Africa
26 Apr: The woman dies in Johannesburg
2 May: Another passenger dies aboard the ship
3 May: Vessel reaches Cape Verde
10 May: Ship arrives at port in Tenerife
Hantavirus spreads mainly from rodents to humans through inhaling air contaminated with infected urine, droppings, or saliva. Human-to-human transmission is rare and occurs only through close contact. The Andes strain has been identified in several passengers on the Dutch cruise ship.
