British passengers evacuated from a cruise ship affected by a hantavirus outbreak have been repatriated from Tenerife. A chartered Titan Airways flight departed from the Canary Island's south airport on Sunday evening, transporting passengers to Manchester Airport. From there, they will be taken to isolate at the UK's initial Covid quarantine site.
Evacuation Details
The MV Hondius arrived in Tenerife on Sunday morning, with Spanish authorities coordinating the evacuation by nationality. Passengers were ferried to shore by small boats and then bussed from the port at Granadilla de Abona to Tenerife South Airport. Some British passengers, wearing blue PPE, waved and gave thumbs up as they passed media.
According to Sky News, 22 British nationals were taken ashore. Of these, 20 boarded the repatriation flight after being tested for hantavirus, while two dual-nationals headed elsewhere.
WHO and UK Response
The World Health Organisation (WHO) stated its goal was to complete the ship's evacuation, except for 30 crew members remaining on board, by 7pm on Monday. Passengers were instructed to leave their luggage on the ship and only carry essential items like their phone and passport.
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) confirmed that British passengers and crew will be transferred to an isolation facility at Arrowe Park Hospital on the Wirral, Merseyside, after repatriation. Spanish authorities reported that no passengers on the ship were showing symptoms of the virus. Fourteen Spanish nationals, the first group evacuated, were flown to a hospital in Madrid.
WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus stated that the outbreak is not another Covid and the risk to the public is low.
Isolation and Monitoring
Upon returning to the UK, passengers will be housed and provided with clothes at an accommodation block on the Arrowe Park site, away from public areas. They will receive clinical assessments and testing as a precaution. The hospital served as the UK's initial Covid quarantine site, with blue tarped fences erected around accommodation blocks on Sunday morning.
Emergency services in the North West of England expect passengers to be kept in the managed setting for up to 72 hours. They emphasized that the NHS Trust and hospital are operating normally with no risk to patients, visitors, or staff.
Following isolation, public health specialists will assess whether passengers can isolate at home or another suitable location. Britons returning to the UK must self-isolate for 45 days and are not allowed to use public transport to reach their homes.
Remaining Crew and Cases
Thirty crew members and a nurse from the Netherlands, along with the body of a passenger who died on board, will remain on the ship. The vessel will sail to Rotterdam in the Netherlands for disinfection. The WHO reported six confirmed hantavirus cases linked to MV Hondius, with four patients currently hospitalized. A total of eight cases, including three deaths, have been reported, with one suspected case reclassified after testing negative.
The UKHSA stated that three British nationals are among the eight cases: two confirmed hantavirus cases and one suspected. The two confirmed cases are hospitalized in South Africa and the Netherlands, while the suspected case is on the British overseas territory of Tristan da Cunha.
Six paratroopers, an RAF consultant, and an Army nurse from 16 Air Assault Brigade were parachuted onto the South Atlantic island. Oxygen supplies and medical aid were also dropped on Tristan da Cunha, which is normally only accessible by boat. The Ministry of Defence (MoD) noted this was the first time medical personnel had been parachuted in for humanitarian support.
