Since the outbreak began, three people have died and five passengers who disembarked have contracted hantavirus.
CANARY ISLANDS, SPAIN – On Sunday, passengers began flying from hantavirus attack The cruise ship anchored near Tenerife in Spain’s Canary Islands, where it arrived hours later, and evacuation plans were underway.
An Associated Press reporter at the scene said some people were seen getting off the boat and onto land. None of the more than 140 people on MV Hondius were Symptoms appear Spanish authorities, the World Health Organization and cruise company Oceanwide Expeditions said the virus had been confirmed.
Spain’s health ministry said Spanish citizens would be the first to leave the ship, in small motorboats carrying five to 10 people.
The cruise ship arrived in Tenerife early Sunday morning after leaving Cape Verde on May 6.
Since the outbreak, three people have died and five passengers have disembarked. Infection with hantaviruswhich can lead to life-threatening illness.
Everyone disembarking will be screened for symptoms and will be taken off the ship once evacuation flights are ready to take them to their destination.
Spanish Health Minister Monica Garcia said: “The entire operation went normally.”
Spanish authorities and the World Health Organization said authorities aim to complete evacuation flights between Sunday and Monday.
There were more than 20 people of different nationalities on board.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus will oversee operations in Tenerife, the largest of the Canary Islands off Spain’s west African coast, along with Spain’s health and interior ministers. Authorities said passengers and crew disembarking from the ship will not have contact with local residents.
Hantaviruses are usually spread when: People inhale contaminated residue Rodent droppings are not easily spread from person to person. but andes virus Outbreaks identified on cruise ships may in rare cases be able to spread from person to person. Symptoms usually appear within one to eight weeks after exposure.
Authorities said the Spanish nationals on board the ship will be transferred to a medical facility and placed in quarantine. Oceanwide listed 13 Spanish passengers and one Spanish crew member on board.
The cruise operator said only Spanish nationals will be quarantined in Spain.
Some Spanish passengers on the ship told The Associated Press that they Worry about being stigmatized Once back on shore.
The United States, Britain and the Netherlands have agreed to send planes to evacuate their citizens. The Americans on board will be quarantined at a medical center in Nebraska.
The Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that there will be 29 people on board the Dutch charter flight, including Dutch nationals and people of other nationalities.
The French Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that the five French passengers will be repatriated today. They will be observed in the hospital for 72 hours and will be quarantined at home for 45 days.
British authorities said British passengers and crew will be sent to hospital for observation once they fly home.
Australia will send a plane, expected to arrive on Monday, to evacuate its nationals as well as those from nearby countries such as New Zealand, Garcia said. She said the flight would be the last to leave Tenerife.
Norway has sent an ambulance aircraft to Tenerife with personnel trained to transport high-risk infected patients, the Norwegian Civil Protection Agency told public broadcaster NRK.
The air ambulance is owned by the European Union but operated by Norway.
Passengers and crew members disembarking will leave their luggage behind and are only allowed to take a small bag containing essentials, mobile phone, charger and documents.
Spanish authorities said some of the crew members, as well as the body of a passenger who died on board, would remain on board and the ship would sail to Rotterdam in the Netherlands where it would be disinfected.
The cruise line said the expected sailing time to Rotterdam is about five days.
Suman Naishadham reported from Madrid. Angela Charlton in Paris, Jill Lawless in London and Kirsten Grishaber in Berlin contributed to this report.
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