Passengers remaining aboard a luxury cruise ship struck by a deadly hantavirus outbreak will be repatriated to their home countries after the vessel arrives in the Canary Islands, Spanish Health Minister Monica Garcia announced on Tuesday.
Repatriation Plans for Passengers
The 14 Spanish passengers onboard will be transferred by plane to a military base in Madrid for quarantine. Non-Spanish passengers, including 23 British nationals, will not be required to quarantine in Spain and will be returned to their respective countries.
Health Minister Monica Garcia Gomez stated: 'A joint system for health assessment and evacuation will be put in place to repatriate all passengers, unless their medical condition prevents it.'
All remaining passengers are asymptomatic, Garcia insisted, stressing there is 'no risk' to the Canary Islands. However, hantavirus symptoms can appear up to eight weeks after exposure, meaning illness may develop in other passengers in the coming days or weeks.
Outbreak Details
The outbreak of the rare, rat-borne illness, which has a 40 per cent mortality rate, has left three people dead and several others seriously ill. The Swiss government confirmed that a man who returned to Switzerland after being a passenger on the MV Hondius was infected and is being treated in Zurich. His wife, currently asymptomatic, has been placed in isolation for safety reasons.
Authorities are investigating whether the man has had recent contact with others but assure that the risk to the public is low.
Evacuations and Medical Response
A critically ill British doctor was evacuated from the ship earlier on Wednesday. Medics in hazmat suits boarded the luxury MV Hondius off the coast of Cape Verde to transfer three patients to specialist treatment in Europe. The evacuees include a 56-year-old Brit, a 41-year-old Dutchman with acute symptoms, and a 65-year-old German who was a close contact of a deceased passenger.
Two infectious disease physicians from the Netherlands are en route to the ship and will remain onboard after the evacuation, according to Oceanwide Expeditions.
Political Dispute Over Docking
The ship remains anchored off Cape Verde after health officials refused docking to protect public health. The vessel was due to dock in the Canary Islands, but President Fernando Clavijo opposed its arrival, citing insufficient information and risk to the population. He requested an urgent meeting with Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, criticising the Spanish government for lack of communication.
Despite the dispute, Oceanwide Expeditions stated the Canary Islands remain the destination for the Hondius. Spain's health ministry said the ship would arrive in three to four days, with passengers examined and transferred to their countries.
Timeline of the Outbreak
The cruise departed from Ushuaia, Argentina, on April 1, carrying 88 passengers and 59 crew of 23 nationalities. The first death, a 70-year-old Dutch man, occurred on April 11. His wife died later after feeling ill on a flight. A British passenger tested positive for hantavirus in South Africa, and a German passenger died on May 2.
The UK government is coordinating with international partners to ensure safe onward travel for British nationals. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer expressed condolences and confirmed plans are in place.
