A British crew member suspected of having hantavirus has been medically evacuated from the cruise ship linked to the outbreak. The World Health Organisation (WHO) confirmed that the crew member, along with a Dutch colleague and another passenger, were taken from the Dutch-flagged cruise ship MV Hondius for onward travel to the Netherlands.
Ship Allowed to Continue Journey
The evacuation means the ship can now proceed on its three-day journey to the Canary Islands after Spanish authorities granted permission for the vessel to dock. The MV Hondius had been anchored off Cape Verde while arrangements were made to evacuate the affected individuals.
WHO Statement on Evacuation
Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, director-general of the WHO, stated on X: “Three suspected hantavirus case patients have just been evacuated from the ship and are on their way to receive medical care in the Netherlands in co-ordination with WHO, the ship’s operator and national authorities from Cabo Verde, the United Kingdom, Spain and the Netherlands.”
He added: “WHO continues to work with the ship’s operators to closely monitor the health of passengers and crew, working with countries to support appropriate medical follow-up and evacuation where needed. Monitoring and follow-up for passengers on board and for those who have already disembarked has been initiated in collaboration with the ship’s operators and national health authorities. At this stage, the overall public health risk remains low.”
