Hantavirus Outbreak on Cruise Ship Triggers International Evacuation in Tenerife

The MV Hondius, a cruise ship at the center of a hantavirus outbreak, arrived in Tenerife early Sunday, and Spanish authorities began evacuating the first passengers—all Spanish nationals—from the vessel. The ship departed from southern Argentina on April 1, and its journey has been overshadowed by a deadly virus that has claimed three lives.

Spanish health officials confirmed that a small group of Spanish passengers disembarked at the port of Granadilla, where they were immediately transferred by military buses to the airport. They will be flown on a government plane to Madrid for hospitalization and quarantine. The evacuation came after intensive preparations to ensure no contact with the local population in Tenerife.

The outbreak was only confirmed on May 2, weeks after a 70-year-old Dutch passenger died on April 11. His death was initially attributed to natural causes, and his body was removed when the ship docked at St. Helena on April 24. Since the diagnosis, passengers and crew have been confined to their cabins. None currently show symptoms, but all will be screened for the virus, which can cause severe respiratory issues.

International efforts are now underway to track down two dozen passengers who left the ship before the outbreak was detected. For those still aboard, repatriation flights are scheduled for Sunday and Monday, with British passengers heading to Merseyside and others to Canada, the U.S., Australia, and more. The World Health Organization has assured that the virus poses low risk to the general public, and passengers will self-isolate for 42 days from their potential exposure date.